Wanderlust
by MaddCricket
Summary: Hermione Granger is unexpectedly taken back in time. She's warned not to speak too many people or make any friends, fearing that anything she does may change the future she knows, but the longer she spends in nineteen-seventy-five, the harder it is to keep out of trouble. A/U ob...viously...also includes the Mauraders in a bit of a different light. SS/HG
1. Chapter 1

"Okay! Alright! So. Now. This end goes in here...like...this...and then this goes here-whoops-here, that's the right one, yes." Arthur Weasley grunted, a bit of tongue hanging out the side of his mouth, full concentration with holding two parts of a wooden crib frame together with one hand while he grasped at air for the tools he had gathered. Ronald Weasley, on his knees beside Arthur, watched and knew better than to tell his own dad that he had mixed around two parts having learned from the last correction he had offered. It had been decided that Arthur didn't need help. Of any sort. A wave of the wand would have fixed it right the first time and the past hour needn't have been wasted in building it, but Arthur insisted on building the Muggle crib in a Muggle way. He had received a shiny new tool set for Christmas, and the tools were getting used one way or another.

Hermione had stood behind them, admiring the mental effort both of them were putting into building the crib, her hands supporting her back as she arched it to counter the weight of the full belly that had long refused her to see her feet. She rocked, side to side gently, biting her lip as a very slight discomfort tingled in her mid-section. Whispers of labor had made itself known that morning, but she had kept it to herself knowing they weren't happening often enough to cause worry. She had read all about the signs, and had practiced getting the feel of how long it should be before heading to the hospital when she first learned she was pregnant.

She breathed slowly, letting her mind get lost in the mess around her feet, meditating instead on the blueprints that Arthur and Ronald had given up on following soon after starting. She had noticed the mistakes, and they cried out to her, but she had kept her mouth shut. Building the crib had kept them busy and as long as they were busy, they weren't freaking out, coddling her over her contractions. She knew Ronald would have been persistent that she'd rest, then run amok of their house during the minutes, hours or days that they were to wait. She imagined he would have taken the liberty to call upon everyone and let them know, and more than likely sit beside her and stare at her, as if she was some caged animal, watching for any sign of pain or any symbol to take action. It was something she rather wouldn't happen.

"Bloody piece of-" Arthur had realized his mistake. The tools were placed gently, a little too gently on the ground beside him, and he leaned back, his hands now pulling at his hair as he fought to gain composure. The crib had almost been halfway built, and it had taken an hour to get this far. Luckily they had a full day of time ahead of them.

"Anyone hungry?" Hermione asked if only to break the tension slowly building in the room. They didn't hear her, too busy looking over the parts and deciding what they could take apart from what they couldn't to salvage what they could.

Hermione waddled out of the room, chuckling softly, and headed for the kitchen. She may have been in the beginning stages of labor, but she was still hungry. Peanut butter, she had craved it daily for the past nine months, and even then was looking forward to sitting down at the table with a spoon and the jar. Maybe some sardines, wait, no, chips sounded better. She'd check back on the guys after she'd have her fill.

When Arthur had arrived, he had come straight from the Ministry, along with him had been brought some work that he had so carefully smuggled out with him. He had mentioned something about a defunct clock he had removed from the house of a Muggle, mumbling something along the lines of when it chimed anyone near it would quack like a duck for ten minutes. Arthur assured her he had disabled it as soon as she had begun to worry about it being in her home.

It was a beautiful clock, a mantle clock, Arthur had called it, with a rich, mahogany wood body carved intricately at the base with Celtic knots, golden colored time hands, and a mother-of-pearl face plate that was almost hypnotic the more she stared at it, hidden behind a glass door. It neither ticked not tocked and certain it was disabled as she spent five minutes staring at it without the hands moving at all, had gathered the courage to admire it closer. Taking one more spoonful of peanut butter, she shoved the spoon into her mouth and stood a breath's distance from it, tracing a gentle finger upon its curves. She regretted it immediately, noticing she had smeared a bit of peanut butter close to the face plate that must have clung to her finger with the last dip, and used a clean finger to wipe all she could off. She'd get a towel for the rest, but before she could turn to obtain said towel, she grew dizzy. The room began to spin. She closed her eyes, vertigo still threatening her senses and only grew stronger. Deep, methodical breathing had seemed to help, and she continued to do so long after the spinning world had slowed. Maybe it was time to head to the hospital?

Opening her eyes, the room around her appeared dark and hazy, she couldn't see where she was going and used her hands to feel in front of her. Within a few steps, she had bumped into something and tried searching her brain for the source. In the direction she was going, there was nothing that would have been in her way. She could see it clearly in memory, her living room, and the clear path to the hallway that would lead to the stairs, which she would call up to gain Ronald's attention. Yet, she grabbed the thing in front of her down near her knees, and couldn't place it. Her hands traced along it, recognizing a cushion of velvet as she followed it along to sturdy arms. A couch? And though it wasn't a familiar couch, sat down in it. She pulled her wand from her pocket, holding it in front of her and spoke.

"Lumos."

Light bounced off the walls, the room came into view and she gasped so hard she began to choke. She recognized the room she was in alright, though it had been a few years since she had last seen it, there was no mistaking the rich golds and reds of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Ron!" She screamed, or tried to. It came out as a puff of air. She cleared her throat. "Ron!" She cried again. This time was louder, but she knew he wouldn't have heard her. People at the other end of the room had there been any wouldn't have heard her. She screamed again. "Ronald!" Using all the bravery and courage she could, her voice finally rang out, her throat even slightly bruised. It wasn't long before she heard feet rushing down stairs, and pattering over to her. She lifted her wand, spreading light onto the face of the person who joined her.

"Oy, you alright?" A black-haired girl with a upturned nose and high cheek bones stared at her. Hermione did not recognize her at all.

"Who-who are you?" She asked. The girl lifted her eyebrows and seemed put-off at her question.

"I should ask you the same. I'm Head Girl, Penny Westgate."

Penny Westgate? The name was not familiar, just as the common room had not looked at all as she remembered it. Though the shapes and lines were all very much the same common room she had spent seven years in, the furniture, the paintings on the walls and even the smell of the room had been different. Penny cleared her throat.

"It's customary to introduce yourself after one has given their name." Penny said. She had a very slender nose, one that gracefully pointed anywhere she looked and had been staring down it, eyebrows raised high over her wide eyes.

"Granger." Hermione said. "Hermione Granger." Raising her wand higher, the light from the tip spread out further. Though the couch she had been sitting on had been new to her, it was obviously very old and very used. The cushions were lumpy, the pillows looked dusty and judging by the lopsided feeling, had literally been on its last legs.

"Hermione Granger?" Penny asked. Her delicate nose wrinkled, creasing the skin between her eyes and she gave her head a shake. "No, I don't recognize your name. I pride myself on knowing every single Gryffindor student and I have not-"

"I graduated years ago, I'm not surprised." Hermione said softly. Penny snorted.

"Right."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. She searched as far as the light would let her see around her, and only grew more curious the further she strained to look. Standing, she had suddenly lost attention in her surroundings and found herself growing wary. Rising to her feet for the past nine months had grown increasingly difficult; the added weight of a healthy baby growing inside of her had made getting to her feet a workout in itself, but this time she had almost floated to her feet without any resistance. Her hands, as if pulled by magnets, flew to her stomach where a comforting bump should have been and instead, found it flat, just as taught as it had been before her pregnancy.

"No." She pressed against her stomach, her hands going so far as to measure the considerable size difference of her breasts before she allowed herself to begin shaking. "My baby, no...no..."

"Your baby?" Penny asked, eyebrows arching into her hairline again.

"My baby, my...I...no. No. Oh no." Hermione felt lightheaded and it was probably due to her mind reeling through every possibility that could have happened, the only thing was it was drawing a blank. There were no thoughts, any that she had knowledge of to call upon that would describe her situation. She had scoured her brain so intently, realizing she had been pulled from the common room and was now being guided through the corridors of Hogwarts had left her feeling twice as confused as she had been before. By the time Penny had guided her into the infirmary, she had noticed her throat had been raw; she had been screaming, so much so, her voice had gone straight to cracking and when it didn't make any more sound had feared she had ruined it altogether. Penny had only silenced her with a charm, as Hermione had learned when the Head Girl had begun explaining everything to the medi-witch that had exited the offices. If she didn't know any better, it sounded more like gossip than concern, and Hermione glared, crossing her arms sleepy over her chest as she watched.

The medi-witch had first looked her way, scrutinizing Hermione from a distance before rushing forward. The nurse had also not been familiar to Hermione, that is, until she grew close. Madame Pomfrey had been a kind and friendly face she grew accustomed to seeing through the years she had spent there, and the witch looking at her just then had Pomfrey's face, from her blue eyes to the style in which she pulled back her hair and tucked it neatly under her nurses cap, but there was something majorly different in it. Her skin had been younger, firmer, less wrinkled. Her hair had color, a soft brown that had only begun to develop adorning strands of grey. It was as if Pomfrey had hidden a younger sibling somewhere, maybe an unmentioned daughter? But the closer she got and the more Hermione looked, she could tell this was the same Pomfrey that had tended to her, that had tended to all of Hogwarts student body when she attended.

"Miss Granger is it?" Pomfrey asked and Hermione quickly nodded.

"Miss Westgate has informed me you are with child?"

Hermione nodded again, her eyes welling up with tears, her arms unfolding and she clasped her stomach again. Pomfrey visibly sighed, an unmistakable look of discontent growing across her face as she pushed Hermione down onto the bed. She pulled a wand and waved it over her mid-section. A soft, warm, glowing light spread out, hugging Hermione and she could feel it deep into her, gently swirling around and warming her insides. She watched carefully, not afraid as the doctors she had visited were magical and had used the charm on her many times. She found it calming, closing her eyes so she could focus on hearing Pomfrey tell her that her baby had been okay, that whatever had happened had somehow displaced the tiny human inside of her to dis-form her bump and that everything was going to be okay.

"Well, Miss Granger. I can assure you that the worst has not happened. You're perfectly healthy except for maybe some vivid dreaming. A sign of stress. Quite common for this time of year."

Hermione snapped her eyes open, the golden light had gone, Madame Pomfrey was standing beside her, hands clasped together, a hopeful smile on her face. Hermione looked down at her stomach and once more began to feel desperately at it.

"There is no sign of life inside you other than your own. Pregnant. Honestly. At your age it would be a shame-please tell me you're aware of contraceptive charms, Miss Granger? No, no, calm down, you're alright..."

Though Hermione would later think she meant well, her words held no comfort at all. Reaching out, she had grabbed Ponfrey by the collar of her dress and pulled her closely. Her voice, still charmed silent, was not working, but Hermione had been giving her a piece of her mind. Her lips had been moving, her knuckes were growing more white by the second, and Pomfrey didn't seem to panic. Instead, the witch had calmly worked Hermione's fingers free, taken Hermione's arms gently but sternly, and forced her back onto the bed.

"Like I said, Miss Granger. Stress and sleepless nights, you need you're rest. This will all make better sense after we get some relaxing potions into you."

The last thing Hermione wanted was potions. How could she possibly relax after learning she had lost her baby and appeared back at Hogwarts unexpectedly? Waiting for the release of her arms, Hermione rolled off the side of the bed, and dashed to the exit, pushing past Pomfrey and Penny.

The castle's decorations and decor may had been different, but the corridors and hallways had remained the same. Hermione had expertly navigated her way down and around, dipping into the only room she knew she'd find privacy; Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Though she wouldn't exactly be alone, company of Myrtle's ghost was far more welcome than the two witches she had just ran from, and anyone else at that moment. It was dark, being the middle of the night and with no students roaming about there were no candles to see by. Hermione drew her wand, glad that she had not left it behind. She wasn't sure where to go, if spending the night in a stall was a good idea or not, or if she'd even remain in the bathroom for long. Her breath hitched as she caught movement from in front of her.

"Myrtle? Is that you?" She wanted to whisper, but found her voice silent. Angrily she waved her wand at herself, the anger inside her able to be felt as the strength of her wordless magic felt like a hot flame in her throat, she ended up screaming the question when the silencing charm had released.

She took a small step forward. Whatever moved in front of her before moved again just as she did, and she breathed a bit easier recognizing a mirror, the same mirror she had seen for six years every time she entered the room, and felt a bit silly that she had forgotten it had been there. It had her attention though, showing her an image that she did not expect. She walked timidly up to it, watching her own reflection grow closer and noticing for the first time that she hadn't been wearing the same clothes she remembered putting on back at home. She was in robes, school robes, looking much like a student.

She hadn't seen herself age in the past years, growing into a woman had been unrecognized as she had grown used to seeing herself every day, the changes slipping by her, but the face that stared back at her had been different than what she was used to. She no longer resembled a woman who had left childhood behind her, but that of a teenager, youthfulness presented itself in smooth skin, even her hair had transformed back into a barely-managed frizz which scared her the most had she to be honest with herself. She looked sixteen again, and though she would have given anything to appear young and fresh, the circumstances which gave it to her unnerved her.

She backed away slowly, waved the light out of her wand, and exited the bathroom now feeling like she had been shown a horrible nightmare she couldn't escape. Back in the corridors, her reflection hung at the forefront of her thoughts and tried to remember what had brought her here in the first place. She remembered waking up at home, next to a snoring Ronald, had remembered getting ready for the day, greeting Arthur Weasley when he arrived bogged down with a box bought from a muggle store that contained a baby crib. Remembered Arthur snapping at her when she offered help for the first time and then reading a few chapters of a book to keep herself out of his way. She remembered the taste of peanut butter and chips, still fresh on her tongue, and looking at a clock that mesmerized her. It was a blur after that.

She heard footsteps which drew her out of her thoughts and looked around her, the corridors blackened, and hesitated on what to do. She could have easily given up and let herself be caught, or try hiding and try to keep out of reach until the school would awaken. While she hesitated, something had ran past her, she could smell the faint scent of dog and hear a soft panting before she made out something shaggy dodge past her knees. Without question, she followed it trying her best to run as silently as possible.

She followed it into the trophy room, a dim glow from the lights thrust upon the trophies allowing her to see around the room with little struggle. She edged her way in, slowly, not wanting to spook the dog she had followed and ended up spooking herself when a hand had grabbed her shoulder and tugged her back quickly. That hand was tossed over her mouth and when she turned her head, a young male with ragged hair was looking at her, pressing a finger against his lips signaling her to be quiet. His eyes flicked over to the door, then back to the cases of trophies before pulling her over to it.

They were nestled in between cases, squatting low and ducked down in time to hide themselves from a silhouette of a person whom had stuck their head in from seeing them. The figure stepped into the room, took one painfully slow look around, then left, the sounds of their footsteps hurrying off in the distance. Hermione looked to the boy next to her.

"They're searching for me." He explained. "Thanks for not giving me away."

"Searching for you?" Hermione asked. "Then they're after me, too." She hung her head slightly under his curious gaze, "I ran from the infirmary." She explained.

"Is that all? The infirmary?" He laughed. "We've got a brave one here ladies and gentlemen!"

"Brave indeed, I'm too old to be sneaking around like this, especially in my conditi-" She stopped speaking, her hand sneaking a feel at her stomach. Her condition no longer existed and she felt hollow. The boy didn't seem to catch her dissipating words, however as he had rolled his eyes at the first.

"Too old, huh?" He snickered. "I've heard a lot of first lines, but that one takes them all. Too old." He stood up, pulling Hermione up by her arm as well and scanned the room.

"I think we're safe to be on our way. I don't hear anyone else coming." He looked once more to Hermione. "Which way are you heading?"

"Me?" She asked. "I, um, I'm not sure."

"Okay, we'll make this easier...which house are you headed to?"

"Well I, um...Gryffindor, I suppose."

The boy lifted his head, one eye squinting.

"Gryffindor, eh? You sure?"

"I suppose so." She shrugged. "It's the house I was sorted into, and I don't think I'll do well hiding around the castle now that I know there are people out looking for us." She really didn't want to go back to the common room, it was too small of a place and she was sure to be found. If she could grab even an ounce of luck, maybe one of the beds in the dormitory would be available that she could climb into and pull the drapes shut. The boy was still studying her.

"Funny I've never seen you before." His fingers ran across his chin, wiping at a bloody lip Hermione just noticed. He didn't seem to realize the cut as he pulled his hand away after some consideration. "Nope. Never seen you before." He said decidedly and extended a hand.

"I'm Black. Sirius Black."

Hermione was awestruck. His name, as soon as he had said it clicked something inside of her. The archaic look of the common room, her youthful face making her look like a student again...

"You've got to be kidding me." She said, falling back into the wall and sliding down into a sitting position.

"No, not kidding." Sirius said now looking at Hermione with concern.

"This can't-How did-" She pressed her face into her hands and rubbed at her temples hard. "What year is it?" She asked, bracing for the shock of her life.

"Nineteen-Seventy-Five." Sirius answered and Hermione let out a groan. Had she not already known it was possible to travel back in time, she would have not believed it.


	2. Chapter 2

Somehow Hermione had managed talking Sirius into letting her sleep under his bed. It was the only way she felt relatively safe and hidden. No one would think about checking the boys dorms for her, would they? If anyone was really searching for her at all. How she had managed it was beyond her, but she had succeeded and she was paying for it when she awoke. Every muscle in her body screamed in pain from lying on the hard floor, and the bump she received on her head did not fare well. The boy sleeping above her, Sirius Black, was already awake and rolled his head over the side of the bed upon hearing Hermione moving around.

"Could you make anymore noise? They'll hear you!" He thrust his chin at the other beds in the room, forms of sleeping people were blanketed and still. Hermione rolled her eyes, rubbing the pain away from her forehead the best she could.

"They're fine." Hermione whispered back. "Sorry if I woke you."

"I was already up." Sirius pulled himself around and touched his toes to the floor as if judging if he wanted to really get out of bed yet.

"Thank you for letting me stay here." Hermione said, curling her legs under her so she could stand.

"Sure. Anytime." Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. "Sooo...where are you going?"

"To Dumbledore. I need to speak with him."

"This early?" He let out a laugh. "You're crazy."

"Yes this early. He may be the only one to help me right now."

"Oh really?" Leaning forward, Sirius checked on the other beds before dropping his voice low. "I could help, you know."

"You don't even know what I need help with."

"I can guess." He smiled. Hermione crossed her arms waiting to hear what he could come up with.

"Let's see, you were running solo last night...in the middle of the night, mind you, which means one of two things. Either you were caught up in snogging and lost track of time or you're miserably alone and have nothing better to do with your time than to roam a dusty old castle."

"Wrong." Hermione grinned, rubbing at her forehead again. Were the bed frames always that hard?

"I can help with that too." Sirius motioned toward her forehead cracking a sly smile. "If you get what I mean."

"Gross." The word escaped Hermione in one breath and she couldn't pull back the face that came along with it. Sirius pouted, looking hurt.

"Oh." Hermione shook her head slightly, lowering her hand from her head and held it slightly out in front of her. "I don't mean you're gross, it's just that..." She sighed heavily, knowing better than to tell him what she knew of him and who he'd become to her, and Harry-her best friend, and Ron-her husband, in the future. "I really need to find Dumbledore." She said.

"Fine." Sirius pouted slightly, finally rising to his feet. He grabbed for a robe that was tossed on the end of the bed. "At least let me walk you there."

"No...thank you, but I know the way." Hermione didn't mind that Sirius had offered an escort, and normally would not have minded the company, but this time was a little too complicated to have another person joining her. There was too much room for a slip up and she already knew that any little mistake could cost her chances of getting back to the life she knew, as she knew it.

...

Explaining it all to Dumbledore had been a relief, though the aging wizard sat at his desk and stared at Hermione carefully, not interrupting. His silence would suggest that he had expected it, but the curious and slow lean that brought him over his desk would suggest otherwise. By the time Hermione had finished, Dumbledore's eyes had formed tiny slits and when she had fallen silent, he slowly settled back into his chair, stippling his fingers under his chin and took on a look more pensive than she had seen him do.

"You say you've used Time Turners previously?" He asked after a long while. Hermione nodded.

"Yes, back in my third year."

"Interesting." His chair swiveled slightly and his gaze moved to nowhere in particular on his desk. "Very interesting."

"As I understand it, this couldn't be the work of a Time Turner. The capability of those are only strong enough to take you back five hours from the time of use." Hermione added, feeling a little odd to be bringing it up to him. He nodded gently, stopped the swivel of his chair and looked at her.

"Times vary. It's not to say the year you came from hadn't advanced enough to widen the memory of a Time Turner allowing more than a five hour replay."

"I would have known...at least Harry or Ron would have told me something." Hermione sighed uncomfortably. As Aurors, they had information to almost all the advancements in magical contraptions and Time Turner changes would have been one of the first things made aware to them if any kind of change would have been done. "Besides," Hermione rested her head back on the chair. "They were all destroyed in the Ministry."

"All of them?" Dumbledore looked at her adoringly. "No possibility of at least one being withheld?" A small, sheepish smile formed at his lips under his beard and he rose to his feet. "The dark times you have spoken about, it would seem foolish that one of Voldemort's followers didn't secure at least one Time Turner. Especially if he had inside help."

"They never used it if they did." Hermione pointed out. "Seeing as that could have been a huge advantage to them and they didn't use it, one would think the possibility invalid."

"Possibly so, but it's always an option." Dumbledore moved slowly around his desk, his hands finding their way into his robes which hadn't changed much in the future. The colors were filled a little, his hat a little shorter, but just sitting there and watching him made her temporarily forget when she was.

"I'm sorry to say that the use of Time Turners is not as free this day in age. What little we know about it hasn't even been divulged to us, not even the high ranking officials-"

"-I know you're under secrecy and aren't allowed to say much about it. It's okay, I won't press you, but I do know there's a few of them floating around the Ministry and have been used properly this day in age." Hermione cut him off and watched him relax slightly. "Wouldn't be much help, anyway. Those aren't meant to send someone forward in time, which is undoubtedly what I need to do."

"Indeed." Dumbledore agreed. "And you tell me you have no prior knowledge of this clock? Unknown to you who had it or its previous ownership?"

Hermione shook her head.

"None, I'm afraid."

"And you said Arthur Weasley is the one who had it?"

"Yes." Hermione have a nod. "He took it off a Muggle."

"I can try to get a hold of Arthur. In the least he can keep an eye out for anything that matches the description you have provided. I'm still unsure if what brought you here has even been made yet."

Hermione brightened slightly, having not thought about the link to the Ministry she already had. Surely Arthur out of anyone In this time would be able to help her out.

"That goes without having to remind you, any contact you have now may interfere with the future, the one you know." Dumbledore added and Hermione nodded.

"I'm aware of that." It was a trial during the time she had used the Time Turner to keep it a secret, this was very much the same experience, just a few decades removed.

"I would think it best that you try and avoid any contact while you're here."

"I'll most certainly try." Hermione stated. It seemed simple enough, she'd just spend her time alone, avoiding contact with anyone and everyone. There were still plenty of volumes in the library she hadn't memorized, enough to fill her time.

"I'll send an owl to Arthur immediately. With any luck we'll at least have an understanding of this situation and can get started on trying to get you back home."


	3. Chapter 3

Depending on the library to fill her time had been a little too optimistic, or so it seemed. Hermione, having to keep to herself, found it rather hard to not join in on the conversations going on next to her or offer to help a struggling, studying student all for the sake of staying unknown. Those who did try to speak with her she ended up snapping at all for the sake of keeping them at bay, not feeling good about it, but not enjoying it at all either. In return of her rudeness towards others, a younger looking Madame Pince would clear her throat sharply, or tut them all, reminding them in her familiar strict fashion to be quiet.

What was usually considered her sanctuary soon became a stifling prison, and the outside had begun calling her name shortly after the lunch hour had begun.

Finding herself in the courtyard, too many people had been present and her hopes of finding a wall to sit on had been crushed. She allowed her feet to take the lead, and the path they chose took her over the Stone bridge, through the Viaduct and to the Great Lake which hadn't seemed to be at all different than she remembered. The giant squid still slapping the surface every now and again had drawn her attention to the Quidditch Pitch where a large, familiar form could be made out walking toward the entrance. Her heart had almost leaped seeing Hagrid's silhouette and couldn't resist the urge to catch up with him.

She had found him, shoveling a crystal-like substance out of a bucket that he held in one giant hand slowly around the edge of the pitch and had spoken before she could stop herself.

"Good afternoon, Hagrid!"

The giant paused, lifted himself up straight and searched her out quickly, and Hermione had only a moment to realize he did not recognize her voice. He didn't recognize her at all.

"Come ter make fun of me, have yeh? Seen me workin' an' thought yeh have a laugh?" His voice boomed and Hermione quickly stopped approaching him. She frowned immediately.

"I-I...no." She bit her lip, now worrying that this was all a big mistake. "I just thought that maybe-" Her mind raced, now that she was actually speaking with him and now that it dawned on her that he was just as much a stranger to her as everyone else was, approaching him had not been the best of choice. Luckily she didn't have to finish her sentence as he plunged his hand with the shovel back into the bucket, gathering another heap of crystals and threw them hastily at the ground.

"No need ter make excuses. I don' much appreciate any o' those." He continued shoveling, each plunge into the bucket became heftier and more demanding.

"I just thought we could be friends." Hermione said in a small voice, wincing at every toss he made. "I didn't mean to bother you any."

The giant paused for only a second and then continued, Hermione expecting that he had decided to ignore her for the time being. Her forehead creased and she took a few cautious steps toward him.

"I'm Hermione Granger." She said, forcing herself to smile. "I've heard a lot of you and wanted to introduce myself."

"Rubbish, everythin' they've said. If yeh know wha's good for yeh, you'd mind yer own an'-"

"I already do." Hermione said, gently. "I know there's not a mean bone in your body unless someone is threatening Dumbledore or Har-" She stopped herself, catching Harry's name in her throat before she could finish the name, an odd cough followed before she started again. "-you've been misjudged. I'm not here to cause any trouble."

Hagrid stopped in his chore and glanced up at Hermione under his thick, bushy eyebrows. He seemed to accept her attempt at friendship, but it was fleeting.

"Even if yeh aren', I've no time ter talk. Professor Kettleburn has a list o' things for my to get to an' I can't put 'me off much."

"Right." Hermione sighed. Maybe it was for the better that she didn't get too comfortable with Hagrid as much as she wanted to. Though she considered him trustworthy, and a person that could have little effect upon changing the future, he did have a job and she wasn't going to stand in the way of his completing it. "I hope we can talk later." She said and Hagrid only grunted in reply. She was hesitant to leave, wanting so much to speak with Hagrid but knowing better of it, she had to force her feet to turn around.

A walk around the grounds had grown dull, dodging anyone she saw coming towards her had begun to feel more like a task, and the groups of friends she could hear giggling off in the distance only made her feel homesick. She found herself back in the library knowing it was the only place she could go to escape the sounds of memories being made.

"Give me one of your curses."

Sirius' voice drifted through a bookcase, and though Hermione would have otherwise ignored it, the voice that answered in a strict 'no,' had her haunt in her step. She glanced through the books, pulling a few of them off their place until she caught sight of a young Severus Snape. He looked very similar, same greasy hair that hung to his shoulders, a smooth and hooked nose on the front of his face. The years had done damaging effects to the youthful Snape she saw. There were less wrinkles and he looked in general, almost kinder.

"Oh come on, Sevvy, just one little hex. I'll give you something good for it too." Sirius said. Hermione couldn't see him as he was standing on the other side of the books she was peering through, but she could see Severus narrow his eyes, and his arms cross over his chest.

"What's the joke?" Severus asked. "And what of yours would I want so badly?"

"Uh-uh. Give me something first and then I'll show you...or tell you, rather."

Hermione could hear amusement in Sirius' voice.

"No deal." Severus said, turning suddenly and began walking away. Sirius brushed past the space Hermione was watching, and now she was stuck just listening as she couldn't see either of them.

"Oh come on, Snape. It's something you'll really enjoy. Something only Dumbledore knows."

"Oh?"

This seemed to grab Severus' attention, Hermione could hear him turn again, the shuffle of his robes.

"Fine. It's to do with the willow. I've seen you watching it and I know that you know that I know how to get inside of it. Give me a spell and I'll tell you it's secrets."

Hermione grew angered knowing the outcome of this situation, and found her fists balling up at her sides.

"I would rather face a giant than trust you with one of my spells." There was another rustle of robes, this time quicker and angrier, followed by the sound of books slapping together before it disappeared, slowly drifting away. Hermione raised onto the tip of her toes, peering through the line of books and could see that Severus had left leaving Sirius and a pudgy faced boy behind that were grinning mischievously at each other. Unfortunately, before she could lower herself back down, the pudgy faced boy made eye contact with her and his face formed into slight worry. The change had prompted Sirius to turn around, and Hermione quickly fell flat footed, wanting to leave before he could catch up. He cut her off as she turned out of the aisle, raising an arm up to cross her path.

"Granger!" He exclaimed. "Doing a little eavesdropping before calling it a night?" Sirius chided. Hermione switched glances between him and the other who had taken to hiding behind Sirius. Though the boy was younger it was no mistaking Peter Pettigrew. She could feel her skin crawl and had to fight her want to pull her wand and hex him into oblivion right there.

"I know what you're up to." Hermione hissed, her eyes narrowing, her arms crossing in front of her chest as she forced her eyes away from Pettigrew and to Sirius again. "You really should be ashamed of yourself."

"Oh you know, do you?" An eyebrow raised and Sirius didn't loose his grin, instead, letting it grow twice its size. Hermione pressed her lips together, biting them. Her and her insufferable mouth, her inability to let it play out. Though she was well aware she was living in the past it was hard to let things happen according to plan.

"You just want to get him into trouble." Hermione concluded, deciding that playing as if she was jumping to conclusions instead of saying straight out she knew they were plotting to lead Severus to the Whomping Willow in order to get him killed if not seriously maimed. "You're planning on using one of his spells to create a catastrophe and then blame it all on him so you can get off Scott free with a good laugh. Honestly Sirius, you're better than this. I'd expect it from Wormta-" She bit her tongue again, surprising that she had so easily forgotten. Peter immediately quivered, his mouth dropped into an 'O' shape while Sirius' grin faded. His eyebrows pushed together with concern and Hermione could almost swear he paled a bit.

"You've met?" Sirius stepped out of the way, providing the first clear sight Hermione had seen of Peter and she wasn't sure whether to say she had or hadn't. Peter answered for her in the form of a quickly shaking head.

"N-no." He said. "I've never seen her before in my life. How did you know-"

"I have a gift?" Hermione said, it coming out as more of an insecure question than a believable lie. "I have a gift." Hermione said again, this time taking the line and going with it. "I can see things in the beyond. I can pick up on names and sometimes I actually get them correct." Hermione only hoped she sounded more believable than Madame Trelawney of whom she was attempting to channel right then. Sirius didn't seem to take her story, Peter's mouth only dropping open further, and she shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Uh-huh." Sirius had chewed his bottom lip, his fingers prodded the edge of his chin and pulled slightly at the shadow of whiskers that had begun to sprout. "I'm going to let you believe that. Fine, no, it's fine. You can keep your secrets." He narrowed his eyes.

"But Sirius-" Peter began, not taking his eyes from Hermione. Sirius pulled the hand that rested on his chin away and held it up sharply.

"Let's leave, Peter. Who knows what else she might foretell while we're around."

Hermione didn't stop them as they walked away, and she didn't follow after them either. Her mind raced between scolding herself for almost giving herself away and wondering if there was a chance that Severus would still show up at the Whomping Willow no matter how disinterested he made himself out to be.

A/N: I'm semi-back! Catching on quickly at my new job (a lot to learn and so much multi-tasking) and I might be back on a good schedule here soon so more free time is opening up. Just wanted to post a chapter to let you guys know I haven't forgotten about you! And it was my birthday yesterday, so I figured I'd grant you all a gift =^^=


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione had both hands wrapped around a mug of coffee, her head was bowed over it and she breathed in the comforting scent deeply. A time or two a sharp jolt of her head falling forward would wake her from a sleep she didn't realize she had entered, and she'd sway side to side in her seat to make the position she was sitting uncomfortable so as to keep her awake. Glancing around the hall, it was still empty and her hope that finding Severus quickly was dwindling. She had wanted to catch him at breakfast and warn him of any incoming danger from being tempted by Sirius. The night had passed slowly, luck had not been on her side, and she found herself losing sleep, now sitting and regretting the decision as her eyes fought to close.

The few students that did surround her didn't pay her any attention, all of them busy talking among one another, and when the Gryffindor table did start to fill up, she tried her hardest to keep her eyes directed into the glossy surface of her drink, taking seconds to scan the other tables, and then look back into the coffee. What captured her attention the most had been the unmistakable red head wearing Gryffindor robes that had entered and took an empty seat near her. Lily Evans was just as beautiful as she imagined. Immediately Lily had noticed Hermione and smiled softly at her, Hermione drew her eyes back into her coffee knowing very well that attempting to thwart any attention away would be useless. She wouldn't be able to deny any kind of conversation from her in the first place, Lily was the mother of her best friend and she would feel guilty stopping any form of friendship that should happen between them.

"You're that girl they've been looking for, aren't you?" Lily asked in a low whisper. "Got them all up in arms. Did you really think you were pregnant?"

Hermione felt her chest clench at the mention of being pregnant, but she smiled through it.

"Stress obviously isn't kind to me." Hermione laughed lightly attempting to hide the fact that remembering was really quite bothersome. Lily's smile grew.

"I'm sure being in a new place isn't helping either. Rumors are you're a transfer?"

"I guess you can say that." Hermione gave a nod wondering if it had been Dumbledore who had started that rumor to help the students ease into her presence.

A plate filled with scrambled eggs and toast appeared in front of Lily and she tucked in hungrily

"I've also heard you've made acquaintance with Sirius. He's taken a liking to you if you haven't noticed." Lily's eyes fixed on the door where Hermione saw Sirius entering, walking along side a few other boys. She didn't have to guess that they had been the Marauders as she knew them. James, and Remus of whom she hadn't met properly yet leading the way with Sirius and Peter tailing closely behind. Catching Lily watching him, James flashed a grin then grabbed Remus by his neck with an arm, forcing the exhausted looking student to bend over. Remus waved his arms, fighting James' arm but losing, ultimately gaining rightful stance back with a sharp elbow to the ribs. Sirius and Peter laughing silently, continued to follow them up the Gryffindor table until they took their seats around Hermione and Lily. Lily rolled her eyes down to her place and fixed a bite of eggs onto her toast.

"Very classy." She mumbled under her breath. Hermione raised her eyebrows in agreement.

"Glad you thought so." James answered. Hermione grabbed for her mug and sipped, noticing Sirius had looked at her, the intensity of his stare almost as hot as her coffee. Peter had been steeling nervous glances at her as well, and it had been this that had caught James's attention.

"Ah, Sirius, this must be the one you've talked about." James stated.

"Indeed it is." Sirius answered back, reaching over the table to grab an apple off a fruit tray.

"James Potter." He introduced himself with confidence, then looked to Lily, nodding to her. "I see you've met Lily. Over here is Remus and of course, Peter." He threw a thumb in their direction then leaned over the table slightly, as if to tell something only to Hermione. "If they give you any problems, just give them a strong wallop. Merlin knows they need it."

"I'll remember that." She smirked, scanning over the other three who sat with narrow eyes aimed at James.

"And if that doesn't set them straight, you can just let me know." Lily added. "Their weak spots aren't hard to find once you know them."

"Thanks." Hermione gave a small giggle. James took a bite of his apple and settled back in his seat with a juicy smile.

"You only think you know how to control us." He said, stuffing the bite in his cheek as he spoke.

"Oh really? Pray tell the right way to do so then." Lily chided. James, taking another bite, chewed a few more times before placing the apple down on his plate.

"Date me and you'll find out." Wiggling his eyebrows, Lily made a disgusted sound and dropped her piece of toast.

"And just like that, I've lost my appetite." She whispered to Hermione. Laughing at James's attempt at a sore look, she pushed her plate away and nudged Hermione with her elbow. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

They stood to leave, Hermione following Lily though she knew not where they were headed and paused as a pale, sallow looking boy had entered the hall.

Severus Snape still had a familiar face, the scowl upon it not changing in his youth though he was less the wrinkles she was used to. His hair, only slightly less greasy, hung around his face and barely hid the whisper of a large cut that sat on his chin. He was holding his robe over his arm, grasping it tightly in his long fingers and looked out of place with his students uniform instead of being clad in black. From the corner of her eye, she saw James nudge his mates, pointing carelessly with a finger. They broke out in laughter, gaining Severus's attention, who had paused only for a second to glare back at them, and then proceeded to take a sharp turn and marched straight to the Slytherin table.

Lily turned to James, her arms snapping closed across her chest. Hermione had half a mind to do the same, but settled on finding Sirius and sending him her own glower. Sirius returned it with a tilt of his head and a wink. Peter's mischievous tittering had stopped immediately at the exchange as well.

"Would you care to explain why Severus is bleeding?" Lily asked lowly. James looked offended.

"So quick to judge." He gasped though a certain pride did not escape him. "Why do you think I had anything to do with it?"

"The day that boy bleeds in this school without your help is the day the Hippogriff will sing." Lily's lip trembled in a sneer as James sat there looking smug. "You're despicable, James Potter." Wrinkling her nose distaste fully, she turned on her heel and began quickly making her way to Severus, ignoring the cat calls coming from the Slytherin table as she approached him. Hermione had followed behind, hiding behind her. She could see Severus looking at his robe. It was spread across the table, the top half ripped jaggedly. Lily touched his shoulder upon arrival and he had jumped, causing Hermione to jump unexpectedly.

"It's only me." Lily said, not removing her hand. "What happened?"

Severus looked from Lily back to his robe and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Nothing." He sighed. Lily took a seat next to him, pulling his robe over to her.

"It's only a tear. We can patch that right up." She said consolingly.

"I'm running out of good robes as it is. Won't have much left to patch at the rate it's going."

Lily removed her wand and gave it a wave over the tear. The fabric joined again, though not exactly perfect with a few snags, almost looked as good as new.

"What happened?" She asked again. Severus looked across the room, Hermione followed his gaze and saw James and Sirius look quickly away and felt anger rising. Had they reached the Willow when she wasn't looking? Her fists clenched and she looked back to Severus, whose scrape was now being attended to by Lily who had taken a napkin and was dabbing gently at it. He winced, backing away as she hit a tender spot and finally noticed Hermione for the first time. She smiled, but at the same time took a few steps back, sheepishly fearing that he'd suddenly have the power to assign her detention.

"Who are you?" He asked sounding rather rude and Lily immediately gasped.

"Snottiness does not become you, Severus." She said, pressing a little too deeply into Severus' wound to emphasize her point and pulled a hiss from him. "This is Hermione Granger. She's the girl that has been running around the castle for a day."

His eyes narrowed at her, judging, but Lily pulled on his chin to gain his attention.

"She's a friend, Sev. Be nice." Lily looked to Hermione apologetically. "Hermione, this is Severus Snape. You'll have to excuse him, he's a bit inward when it comes to meeting new people but once you open him up a bit he's not that bad."

"Not that bad." Severus murmured after her. Lily hushed him, then grinned.

"Enough beating around the bush. I demand to know how your robes got ripped."

Severus took one more look at Hermione, deciding she wasn't a threat, then returned to Lily with a sigh.

"What's there to tell? They showed up and we had a disagreement." He swallowed uncomfortably. "Left me hanging on the sword of the knight in the fifth floor hallway. My robes ripped when I dropped." He fingered the seam Lily had made. "Thank you for patching it. Sewing things up hasn't been one of my strong points."

Lily giggled slightly, leaning over to Hermione and whispered. "The last time he tried to mend a sock he had sewed it shut. The spell was so strong we couldn't get it apart."

Severus' ears turned red and Hermione tried hard not to smile at his embarrassment, instead, forcing a look of empathy.

"Aw, is Snivellus crying about his boo-boos?" James's voice carried over their shoulders causing the three of them to spin around. Lily had opened her mouth to say something and Severus had risen to his feet, his wand clutched in his hands that had been held rigidly at his side. Hermione, however, had been the first to explode.

"Can't you just leave him alone?!" She screamed, drawing attention from the whole Slytherin table, a few of them dropping their eating utensils to focus on the drama that had begun to unfold. James grinned widely, chuckling. Hermione caught a glimpse of Peter Pettigrew peering out from behind his shoulder, and next to him, Sirius had been standing with his arms folded over his chest.

"So quick to defend someone you don't know." James said.

"So eager to hurt someone who hasn't ever done anything to you." Hermione shot back. She could feel Lily grabbing her arm to pull her back around, but she yanked it free. She took a step closer to James who didn't move, but only raised his chin and looked down on her.

"You're new here so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but trust me, Snape isn't the best of company you'll want to keep around." James said.

"Better company than you, I'm sure." Hermione pursed her lips. James's posture straightened, appearing as if he was deciding between advancing on Hermione or verbally releasing whatever insults he could think of at her, but Lily had squeezed her way between them before anything more could happen.

"Sit down." She ordered Hermione, who continued to stand there, glowering at James. Lily pushed her slightly, forcing her to take a step back and to sit down on the bench. "Sit down and shush." She repeated, then swung around to face James.

"Your first game is coming up, you're drawing attention, I suggest you get out of here before someone gives you detention." Lily stated, hinting very hard on the fact that McGonagall had left her seat at the teachers table and had begun to make her way through the crowd toward them. James flicked his eyes in her direction, releasing his stiffness ever so slightly and gave a small, almost hidden nod. He turned to leave, but not before looking at Hermione, allowing his eyes to fall into slits. Lily watched as James and his group exit the hall before turning back to Hermione.

"What...was that?" She asked and Hermione couldn't tell if Lily had been more angry or impressed. "No-wait, don't answer that yet. C'mon."

Barely having enough time to grab his own robes, Lily had latched onto Severus and Hermione and pulled them out of their seats and to the hallway, leaving a very confused looking McGonagall standing in the middle of the room, watching them.

A/N: Finally got the characters on the same page with me...they're being stubborn lately lol. Thank you guys so so so so much for hanging in there during these long waits! I really appreciate it and I'm very sorry that I can't update faster. I hate when real life doesn't mesh with the fanfic world, don't you? I have outlined six more chapters (and plotted quite a long and intense story line that keeps growing), and I am very excited to get started on those! I promise that I'll keep writing, it just may take a bit for updates. Stick around though, reply, vote and add the story to your library if you haven't already so you can be alerted to the next chapter post!


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione had not thought about the consequences of standing up to James until Lily had praised her after breakfast. Hoping it didn't cause as much of a scene as they said it did, she wanted so badly to dodge up to the common room and hide there for the rest of the week. Lily wouldn't let that happen, she soon found out, as her arm became linked tightly to hers and she was paraded around the school hallways, being introduced to everyone that looked their way.

'So much for keeping a low profile.' Hermione thought, wondering if she'd be summoned to Dumbledore's office later for a lecture on keeping to herself, and hoping that she could come up with a good enough reason to have grown as much popularity as she had in one day. She had made a friend, that much was certain, whether she liked it or not, as surprisingly she didn't much mind.

James on the otherhand...Hermione could quickly sense she wasn't going to favor Harry's father quite as much as he would have hoped. Knowing that he was already pretentious helped to often the blow of his ego, but then again she wasn't expecting him to be quite as snarky as she had seen. She was well aware that Severus and James didn't get along, that they fought as that James had a habit of picking on Severus, but from what it sounded like that morning, it happened more often than anyone had cared to mention.

As grouchy an stubborn as Professor Snape had been, Severus Snape had not yet reached his breaking point, and from all she could gather of him after breakfast, the guy was rather respectable. Still dark and mysterious, but she liked this years Snape better than the one she knew.

Having already finished the homework the classes had assigned; there was one good thing about repeating school, Hermione didn't have to spend her time learning as she had already known it, she took a book from the library and quietly snuck it out to the edge of the lake where she found a comfortable rock to sit on and read. it wasn't too long until she was found, however, and she was forced to close her book.

"Have you met Hagrid, yet?" Lily asked, craning her neck toward the groundskeeper hut. Hermione nodded sadly.

"I have." She said. "I'm afraid he hasn't taken a liking to me yet."

"We'll have to fix that. He is a bit offish sometimes. Can't blame him, I guess when he was in school here, he wasn't treated the best and still isn't trusted much among his peers." Lily clicked her tongue, shaking her head slowly.

"He may be half-giant, but he's as gentle as they come." Hermione agreed, then noticing it sounded as if she knew him quickly added, "I bet."

Lily nodded. "He's just misunderstood most of the time. People take his size and get intimidated by it so they treat him as if he doesn't exist."

"Having no family either. That's got to be hard." Hermione added. Her far away gaze had been drawn back to Lily when he made a funny noise.

"I thought you said you didn't know about him."

"He mentioned it when I last spoke to him." Hermione added quickly. "Just said that his father had passed away and his mother was missing." Hermione nibbled at her lip, trying to make it look as natural as possible and wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible. "How about you? Family close by?"

"We're in London." Lily started, thankfully looking as though he believed Hermione and didn't mind the questioning tuning from Hagrid to her. "I come from a Muggle family. I have an older sister, but unfortunately she didn't turn out to be magical. I think she resents me for it."

"How sad." Hermione had said, already knowing full well the kind of person her sister, Petunia, had been. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Lily became somber for a moment, but then shrugged it off, smiling.

"It's alright. I'm sure there'll be time for making up later after I get out of school and go back home. What about you? I'm sure your family is wonderful seeing as I positively adore you already."

Hermione grinned and began to speak of her father being a dentist, but thought better of it. She didn't want to give too much of her personal life away. she wouldn't want Lily recognizing anything she'd say and ruin the chances of her returning to the future she knew because of her history.

"I'm a orphan actually." Hermione stated, throwing a pinch of sadness into her voice. "My parents died in a car crash when I was little and I was taken in by my grandparents until they died, and then was moved into an orphanage." Hermione gave a small nod as if she was pleased with her story. Lily was staring at her in shock, her mouth hung open, her eyes wide, and then they fell, a hint of sadness showing. Hermione quickly shook her head.

"Oh, no, it's fine, I'm fine really. I was so young, I barely remember any of them anymore." That was a lie that twisted her stomach. She missed her family more than she really knew, but also knew she couldn't pull them into this. Lily leaped forward, her arms grasping Hermione tightly around her neck in a deep, suffocating hug.

"I couldn't imagine." Lily said after she had pulled back. "Family means the world to me. Living without them would kill me."

Hermione smiled painfully. It hurt to think that she was speaking these words now without knowing that in a few short years the darkest wizard of all time would kill her while she fought for the life of her son. She didn't have too long to dwell on it as Severus appeared, gating from the direction of the castle to their spot and Hermione was thankful for the interruption. His arms were full of books of which he let fall to the ground and followed shortly after, leaning back against the log Hermione was sitting on.

"Any of you good at Runes?" He said with annoyance. "This assignments killing me. I can't make sense of it at all."

"I can take a look at it for you." Hermione offered, figuring it might be a good way to get on his good side and dispose of the previous thoughts she may have about him. Severus raised an eyebrow, still obviously wary of her. Lily held out a hand expectantly.

"What is it you need help with?" She asked. Severus shook his head, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Clearly sarcasm. It's taking up valuable time I can be having with that potions assignment."

"He's very intelligent with potions." Lily whispered to Hermione. Hermione feigned an impressive 'ah.'

"And the dark arts." Lily added, wrinkling her nose as she said it. "I keep trying to veer him away from it but..." She waved her hand pathetically in the air with a look of disappointment. Hermione nodded slowly, choosing to keep her mouth shut on this one.

"I find it fascinating." Severus defended himself. "And speaking of, I've nearly completed making my newest spell. This one is bound to obtain some widespread acknowledgement if and when I chose to share it with the world."

"You make spells?" Hermione asked, knowing very well that his potions textbook was probably scribbled all over with the same spells Harry had learned back in their sixth year as they spoke. She eyed the stack suspiciously, fighting with the idea of just getting rid of it then and there if she saw it, but Severus reached over and adjusted the pile, pulling it out of view before she had a chance to focus on anything. He had spotted her looking and she new that look of recognition.

"Yes." He answered, sounding more like he was posing a question, challenging her in some form or another. Hermione shifted uncomfortably.

"You know, some believe you don't create spells, you only discover them." Hermione stated, knowingly. She could hear Lily giggle, but Severus's eyes darkened slightly and he flashed them over to Lily.

"Oh come on, Severus. Lighten up a little bit, she's not implying anything." Lily said.

"Either way, being able to grasp the spell out of thin air and fine tune it to actually produce something is quite remarkable." Hermione added. Severus' cheeks blushed a light pink that clashed with his skin tone.

"It's too bad you couldn't make a spell that would fix that honker of yours, right Snape?"

Hermione cringed hearing James's voice join them. He had approached from behind, silently coming up on them as if he was stalking his prey. Hermione turned to see James and Remus standing there, James had his eyes cast upon Lily, looking her over as if she had been a tall glass of foamy butter beer on a hot summers day. Remus kept his eyes lowered, and looked almost ashamed to be standing there, as if he had been pulled from whatever he had been doing unwillingly.

"Transforming that hairbrush into a hedgehog today was impressive, Evans. Don't know who was enjoying it more, the brush or me." James sniggered slightly and Lily rolled her eyes, still remaining with her back toward him.

"What say you and me get together later tonight and you can help me perfect that spell? I know of an empty classroom that hasn't seen your wand flourish yet." James added with a wink. Hermione saw Remus adjust his shoulders in a refrain from grabbing James to get them out of there. Severus had begun curling his long fingers around a patch of grass at his feet, ripping the blades from the ground in haste, the pink in his ears turning redder by the second.

"You and I." Hermione said, correcting James and his poor choice of grammar. James turned his head, an eye narrowing at her, confused.

"It's not you and me, it's you and I." Hermione explained.

"Like it matters." He spat back at her.

"It would make you sound like you're actually smart." Hermione retorted, and James shook his head.

"Maybe for you, but if you haven't noticed, I'm not trying to impress you." James took a wide step and sat down, wiggling his way in between Hermione and Lily. Lily immediately looked as if she had bitten into a rotten egg Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean. When James put his arm around her shoulder, she wiggled under his touch.

"So, I've been thinking. It would be great for you to show up to the Quidditch game with I," James put emphasis on the 'I' and Hermione shook her head sadly, giving up on correcting him. "You'd be the icing on the cake, everyone would go wild. You'd be the news of the school for the next week."

Hermione involuntarily gagged, pulling a glare from James, and a chuckle from Remus. Severus stared even deeper into the ground.

"I'd rather date the squid." Lily said, shrugging off James's arm and standing quickly before he had a chance to wrap it around her again. She side-stepped away from James, closer to Severus who didn't seem to notice and only looked up at them, shocked when James said his name.

"Who? Severus? He's not as handsome as the squid, but I can see how you'd confuse the two." James snickered.

"Why don't you just leave us alone?" Severus finally said, rising to his feet. Feeling either left out or vulnerable, Hermione stood as well and James looked between them, his jaw clenching and his shoulders stiffening. Remus stepped next to James and placed a hand on his arm.

"Let's just go." He said, beginning to tug on James and turn, but James slapped his hand down.

"We'll leave when I get my answer." James lifted his chin toward Lily who pursed her lips, her arms crossing over one another. Severus made a small movement to hide her behind him. A shaky, pale hand rose out of his robes clutching a black wand.

"I believe she already gave you an answer." Severus whispered. "Kindly leave us be."

Remus tugged on James's arm again, his eyes sharp on Severus's wand. "Come on." He urged, but James didn't budge. Instead, he raised his own wand, the tip inches away from the other, and grinned. All at once, flashes of red and green light exploded around them as James cast a spell and Severus deflected it, then another. Remus, quick to act, also pulled out his wand, standing beside James and deflected a spell cast at them by Severus.

Lily dove to the side, being knocked to the ground as Severus was hit and stumbled backwards. Hermione squeaked, a moment of panic coursing through her as she stood to the side. The spells were harmless, she could tell, but knew that if it drew any attention, half the school would be out there surrounding them in minutes, bringing with them the professors that would surely assign all of them detention. She raised her own wand, aiming the first spell at Remus to disarm him, then quickly sent a sharp zap at James, who was toppled backwards and cried out in a sharp, quick pain. Though her wand had lowered, she stood between Severus and James, her strong foot forward.

"Just go." Hermione ordered and when Remus and James took a bit too long to follow directions, began to raise her wand again. This prompted Remus to pick up his wand and grab for James, half helping him stand, half dragging him away. When James clamored to his feet, he straightened his robes and spun around again seeing that Hermione was ready to strike again if prompted. He glared, pointing a finger.

"Don't start with me, Granger." He hissed, then pointed at Severus, his fingers quickly making a fist. "And you better watch it." He added before sharply turning and stormed back to the castle.

Severus and Lily, who had managed to get back up, stared at Hermione in awe. Lily, beginning a slow clap also began to shake her head in astonishment.

"Way to end a duel." She said. Hermione turned away from watching James and Remus, and immediately blushed, shrugging.

"I just don't like people messing with my friends." She said, simply. "You okay?" She asked, looking between Severus and Lily. Though Lily was nodding fervently, Severus narrowed his eyes. He bent down, picked up his books that threatened to topple out of his grasp and sneered.

"Appreciated, but unnecessary. I can handle my own." Severus said, refusing to look at Lily, and brushed past them, his Slytherin robes billowing behind him. Lily made to step after him, but Hermione stopped her.

"Let him be." Hermione said. "I bruised his defense. Might make matters worse to be around him right now." In all honesty, Hermione feared Severus may mention something about Mudbloods saving him preemptively and didn't want to be the reason behind that battle. Lily sighed.

"I suppose you're right." She said, running a few fingers through her hair which had become tangled in the fall. "What a jerk. Can you believe him?" Lily breathed angrily, growling the slightest as she fought with a hard tangle. "Like I'd ever date anyone as presumptuous as that."

"How he got you to marry him is beyond me." Hermione muttered, but not quiet enough as Lily had paused in her brushing and stared blankly at her.

"Marriage?!" Lily exclaimed. "Whoa, hold on a minute!"

"What?!" Hermione shrieked back in surprise, feeling her stomach drop.

"The bloody hell are you talking about?" Lily asked. "Marriage?! Ugh. That's repulsive!" Lily visibly shuddered and Hermione, not wanting to cause any more damage, decided to leave well enough alone.


	6. Chapter 6

It had turned into an uncomfortable experience all stemming from standing up for Severus and Lily. James had guarded the common room like a small, yapping chihuahua, staring her down whenever she passed by or interrupted any joyful situation she found herself in. Sirius though not out for vengeance, wasn't much better taking this opportunity to just outright annoy Hermione when he could. Work tail had taken to sitting across the common room only just to stare at her, and Hermione guessed that it had been an order as he looked just as unpleasant doing it as Hermione felt being watched. Lupin had been the only one kind enough to mind his own business, though his protests had fallen on muffled ears if he tried stopping their actions.

Getting away was her main challenge, staying low, remaining as unnoticeable as she could to not bring any more attention to herself...or others...was top priority. There was a timeline at stake and she needed to keep it on track if she wanted to return to a world that she recognized, which of course meant she had to refrain from making any more friends and make excuses to dodge bonding further with Lily. Sounded all too familiar, but she reminded herself that she needed to succeed. How Dumbledore hadn't called her into his office to question her antics by now only confused her and made her wonder if he even cared. It wasn't as if he knew her now as well as he did then, why would her tiny problem take precedence over the other business he had going?

Hermione had stuffed a bag full of books, visiting all the professors she could and obtained any homework they'd hand over all in the name of filling her time. It gave a perfect excuse not to socialize, and before long she began to feel as though she had returned to her third year where the load of double the work had strained every single muscle in her body. It was hard enough to complete four essays and ten chapter assignments within hours with a time turner, doing it without one cranked up the stress. The professors didn't seem to question her needs however, and she felt as though Dumbledore may have filled them in on her situation, just enough to understand that her stay was only temporary and that she didn't need class time to go with the homework as much as she needed an escape. Thankful for the no-need-for-an-excuse approach, her bag remained heavy and her only problem had been finding a place to study, or rather, to sit in peace and fill out worksheets on things she could already recite in her sleep.

The fourth floor corridor welcomed all students, never been banned to students in this era, before being used to store a massive three headed dog or hide the secret to eternal life, had been the last place she ventured off to, checking over her shoulder to make sure Filch or Miss Norris wasn't following her stemming from a bad habit of sneaking around in her youth. It almost felt wrong to not be under an invisibility cloak, or to even be on that floor without Harry or Ron at her side.

An empty classroom at the end of the long hallway had seemed forgotten, a thick layer of dust jumped and floated in place when she touched the handle and pushed the door to open. Inside were desks and chairs, most stacked upon each other, a few remained haphazardly on the floor of the classroom, one of them scattered with books and a lit lantern. She glanced around, gazing from side to side, looking for the owner of the scattered mess, and, not seeing anyone, Hermione slowly crept up to the desk.

A textbook was flipped open to a page explaining in great detail about the uses of Phoenix tears when mixed with a hair of an elephant and how a copper or silver cauldron can alter its strength. Immersed in the book, te hand that suddenly grabbed her arm caused her to scream and whip around.

Severus stood there, his eyes burning with caution watched as she clutched at her chest and stepped away from the desk.

"You startled me." She said.

"What are you doing here?" He hissed in a low whisper, breaking a stone stance to rush toward his books and close them rapidly.

"I was searching for someplace quiet." Hermione watched his hands as he hurriedly buried the textbook (the cover for Advanced Potion Making clearly visible for a split second) under random bits of parchment. Her eyes narrowed of their own accord.

"Sorry to inform you but this room has no vacancy." Severus breathed, turning around quickly and making sure his body was between her and his supplies. She gave up leaning to the side to peer around him - unaware she had been doing that at all until she rocked back to her feet - and furrowed her brow.

"I-I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't expect anyone to be using this roo-"

"-well I am." Severus' eyes flickered to the door behind her, then settled once again on Hermione. Though his face softened a little, his eyes were still convicting. "How much did you see?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing." Hermione shrugged. "Something about an elephant hair, but nothing more." She could see the professor in him showing; that secretive side he had learned to hide behind for most of his life just starting to form within him and, not wanting to get on the bad side of it, decided to play to his interests in hope that he'd at least accept some kind of friendliness from her.

"Is that whole book covered in notes?" She asked knowing very well it was. Severus regarded her carefully, his lips pulled tight and he gave an almost-missable nod.

"Aren't you afraid if it gets into the wrong hands it will be ruined, or worse, used for cheating?" She had never quite forgiven Harry for keeping the old textbook Slughorn had let him borrow throughout their sixth year. Maybe if she could talk him out of writing anything more within the bindings, she'd be able to redeem Harry, make him do the class right in the future. Severus showed disdain in his eyes.

"This book will never leave my ownership." He vowed. "It's my life's work and anyone who dare change that or take it from me will surely find themselves in the most unbearable pain." He seemed to say this as a warning, as if he had suspected Hermione to be the one to take it from him and she held up her hands defensively.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Hermione tried relaxing her jaw as she spoke, but there was a part of her that wanted to test out just how much he was attached to the book, how much pain he could possibly conjure this day in age. Severus crossed his arms in contentment, still leaning against the table and lifted his chin slightly.

"Why are you searching for seclusion? You don't strike me as the kind of girl who would rather go without some kind of companionship. It's quite surprising that you're not more for popularity which you'd be easy to find, I'm sure."

"Quite the contrary. I find the confines of friendship these days more like chains, really." Hermione cracked a small smile. "I would rather keep my head down and stay out of trouble."

"And that's hard to do with Potter always at your heels, right? You've sure made a claim to his disgrace." Severus chuckled and took one look around the room. "It's funny though. For someone new to this school you snake around the hallways as if you were born here." He raised a stiff eyebrow. Hermione bit her lips together, her cheeks growing red.

"I get lost more than you know. Probably how I've learned my way around so quickly."

Severus didn't seem to take the excuse, his eyes still focused on Hermione as if she was hiding a secret and knew it, that look she knew well which was why she was able to turn it back on him and make him shrug so easily. She wouldn't put it past him to be practicing a bit of ligetimens right then.

"Alright, fine. Keep your secrets, but I don't believe you." He said.

"And I've had a lot of help from Lily." Hermione added just to emphasize her point, hoping he'd forget about her selfishness to give her secrets away.

"You've been spending a lot of time with her." Severus said softly, tenderly almost.

"She's brilliant." Hermione agreed. "A very nice girl." Hermione said only slightly teasing Severus who had nodded instantly.

"One of a kind." His voice was almost dreamy. "You two have remained quite close since your arrival?"

"I guess you could say that. She's been the only one in Gryffindor to make an effort."

"I wouldn't expect anything else from her."

A hint of a smile passed his lips, but it was fleeting. Flicking his head to the side, he sucked in a small, sharp breath.

"If...if I let you stay, let you use this room along side me and only if you promise not to go blabbering to anyone about it, would you preform a favor for me?" He sounded almost reluctant to ask. Hermione looked hopeful.

"I guess I could make that compromise."

"Could you...I mean you suddenly being her best friend and all...would you, um..."

Severus Snape was stuttering and Hermione fought the urge to pull out her wand to capture this moment knowing no one would believe her that the person who always had a say for everything and said it without a second thought had finally choked.

"Would you see if Lily would go to Hogsmeade with me?" Severus finished quickly, his Slytherin pride obviously bruised at having to ask such a question. Hermione wanted to frown, not because the look he had on his face turned him into just an ordinary boy going through raging testosterone issues, but because for that moment, she felt sorry for him.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Hermione questioned.

"Me?" Severus shook his head. "I can't."

"I'm sure you could."

"But if she said no that would just ruin everything, wouldn't it? I mean we're friends. How could I see her again if-"

"-She adores you." Hermione assured him. "She wouldn't have befriended you if she saw something she didn't like."

Severus paused a moment on this, stood a bit taller, puffed out his chest, but then sunk back into the desk again shaking his head.

"I couldn't." He said. "You're just on a luckier level with her, able to speak the language of your kind-women that is-and possibly succeed on my behalf, where otherwise, I'd do nothing but make an arse out of myself if I even thought about trying."

Hermione sighed heavily not wanting to get involved with a relationship that she already knew was never going to happen. She glanced around the room, knowing she wouldn't find another one as quiet or as cozy as that place and the bargain was looking had to deny.

"I ask Lily out for you and I can share your space." Hermione stated. Severus nodded. Hermione chewed on her lips very carefully going over everything that could go wrong if she did this for him and it somehow ended up working out. Her gut feeling was to say no, to keep out of it like she had planned, to stay out of other people's business, but his intense black eyes showed nothing but pining, and it did mean she'd no longer be searching for a place to hide.

"Fine. Let me use the comfy chair and you have yourself a deal." She pointed at the chair already at the desk he was using. It looked to be a chair that usually sat at the professors desk, always a little more padded, a little better formed for posture, and just seemed to sweeten the deal. For a moment Severus glared at her as if second guessing the favor, but then stepped aside, his arm raising as if to introduce the chair to her. She smiled sweetly in thanks, grabbed it by the back and dragged it across the room to another desk and soon it looked as messy as Severus's.

...

A/N: Thanks again for your patience! It means a lot! Constant busy clashes with my aura, I blame the Nargles.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mr. Weasley is well aware of the situation, Miss Granger, and is keeping a close eye out for anything resembling the clock in question along with any other curious object that may be considered time travel equipment." Dumbledore pressed a serious, yet concerning glance toward Hermione who sat on the other side of his desk, arms folded across her chest, lips tightly pressed together.

"There's not much more we can do but wait for the apparatus to be found." He added on gently. Hermione knew he was right and was unable to find anything to say to fight back, to at least quell the anxious knot in her stomach by saying something she'd likely regret in turn for some of the pressure that had built up to make her feel better.

"Now as for socializing..." Dumbledore's eyebrow lifted while the other one stubbornly dug into the bridge of his nose. Hermione bowed her head slightly, already guilty of the lecture he was sure to give.

"...I understand how lonely you may feel, as this is a lonely path you are taking, but the whole school seems to be aware of your presence and not for the better. While you're mainly liked and accepted by the majority of your peers, it has come to my attention that there's been some unfortunate circumstances against a few in your house?"

"Yes, sir." Hermione whispered. "I've been trying to work on that, avoiding them as much as I can."

"Avoiding can only take you so far. Experience with these certain boys has proved to be difficult as they do love attention and should they not get that, their want of gaining it will eventually grow and lead you to mistakenly fall for one of their laughs or will expose them in a way they ought not be seen."

"Then what can be done?" She asked, meeting his gaze. "I'll be happy to switch houses for the duration of my stay if it helps prevent the situation from growing."

"As nice as that sounds it is not that easy I'm afraid. A student has never switched houses once they've been sorted in the history of Hogwarts, especially over something as little as a bit of teasing among housemates. Might I suggest attempting to make amends? It would be a world of difference to get along rather than to avoid them."

Hermione paled, the thought of befriending Potter, Black, and worse, Pettigrew, had churned her insides. She pretended to give his advice thought, but shook her head.

"I can't. I wish I could, but I can't. From what I've seen and what I know..." Her arms unfolded, her hands rubbed at her face. "What if I left Hogwarts? Remove me from the problem here. I'm sure if we can explain things right to Arthur and Molly, they'd take me in and let me stay with them for the time being."

"That is a beautiful dream, Miss Granger, but one that will have to remain a dream."

Hermione glanced at him through her fingers. He was pouring slightly.

"I'm afraid Mr. And Mrs. Weasley are hard on money right now, any guest they have will set them back farther."

"They have a pretty large family in my time. Always able to make ends meet-"

"-because they were able to be prepared for it, as little as they could. If they did agree to take you in, what little they have saved now would hinder their own future and make it unavailable to them. It's too large a chance to take, especially if you're to marry one of their sons."

His point did drive home the situation with Hermione. She pressed her back against the chair, her head tilting to look up at the ceiling as if the rafters of the Headmasters office would provide an answer.

"Then I can leave. I can find a place of my own outside the school and not be a bother to anyone here, and be less of a temptation."

"All very good ideas, Miss Granger, but I'm afraid it is not a safe place out there for anyone on their own right now, especially for you."

"Not safe?"

"You are familiar with Voldemort?" Dumbledore said, hinting more than asking. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut.

"If he found out that someone with knowledge of the future was living among our kind in public, a sitting duck as they say, there'd be no guessing when or how he'd strike. I'm quite positive that by now, from what you've told me about Hogwarts students already teaming up with him, he's well aware of your presence in this time, and he's just waiting for the opportune moment to meet with you. No, letting you leave the safety of the castle and my direct protection is out of the question."

Hermione's head tilted back again in defeat, but a new thought did start swirling around her head.

"Professor?" She asked hesitantly. "About Voldemort..."

"Yes?" He was looking at her over his half moon spectacles, and for a moment decided not to continue, but at the same time knew that if he accepted her idea, at least part of the futures troubles could be avoided.

"Please stop me if I'm speaking out of bounds, but there are horcruxes-"

"Hor-" Dumbledore's brow furrowed.

"Horcruxes." Hermione repeated. "They're dark objects that have-"

"-I'm well aware of horcruxes, indeed, yes." His head reclined. "And I'm assuming you're going to tell me that Voldemort has made one."

"Not one. If memory serves me right there should be five right this instant."

"Five?" Dumbledore let out an unbelieving laugh. "That's improbable. The manner in which he would have to make them would have left him unable to function."

"He has a diary, a ring-"

"-even if he did have five of them, there's no knowing where they'd be."

"Harry, Ron and I found them all in the future, if we can't find them now at least I could tell you where they will be and how to destroy them so that you may start your quest to get to them before the second wizarding war even has a chance to begin."

Dumbledore regarded Hermione more carefully this time, a hand raised and stroked a few times at his beard, a distant look filling beyond the lenses of his glasses. He almost looked like Trelawney when she was attempting to see into the beyond. She continued.

"There's six of them by my time, seven if you wish to include Harry, but at the same time, if we can prevent Voldemort from killing Lily-"

"-Voldemort kills Lily." Dumbledore was pulled back from that far away place, worried now and leaning ever so slightly forward. Hermione bit her lip and nodded.

"Yes, sir." She answered meekly wondering if she had spoken too much.

"I see." Dumbledore said after a while, raising a hand to stop Hermione from any explanation. "I fear if I know further of Lily's future, I too may become a changed man. I beg of you, do not tempt me."

"...the Horcruxes?" Hermione asked, understanding very well to not continue speaking. Dumbledore nodded, agreeing to the change of subject and leaned back into his chair before heaving himself to his feet.

"I agree these are something to keep an eye on, but destroying them before their proper time would bring consequences in its wake that I do not wish to participate in."

"But, sir, stopping it as soon as possible may bring Harry a better life than the one he grew up with, it may save those he killed on his way to-"

"-should we destroy his Horcruxes and he found out, surely even more would be made and who knows what effects that may have on anyone. For now I just need you to make me a list of all artifacts he has and will obtain and I will do my best to keep them as safe as possible until the future needs them to appear."

Dumbledore walked around his table and lifted a hand to Hermione for him to join. Hermione stood and allowed herself to be ushered to the door where Dumbledore turned to her.

"As for your classmates, please consider my advice. Now is not the time to be making enemies, Miss Granger."

Hermione sighed, but nodded knowing their conversation had come to a close. Though she'd try to be friendly to James, Sirius and for Merlins sake, Peter, being friends with them seemed a request too far gone to even consider.


	8. Chapter 8

"Miss Granger is it? Fine, fine, very well, come sit here-" Professor Slughorn motioned to a chair at the front of a classroom sharing a desk with a boy in Ravenclaw robes with wavy blonde hair. "You'll be serving detention today with Mr. Lockhart, extracting leech juice and bat spleens."

Hermione trudged to her assigned seat, but lowered herself gently into it, watching as Professor Slughorn, looking just as she remembered him, disappear through a door in the back of the classroom. Rolling up her sleeves, she grabbed for a dead leech in a box that had been placed in her spot prior to her arrival, and began to squeeze it over an empty container, trying her hardest to ignore Gilderoy Lockhart, who had stopped in the middle of excising a spleen just to stare at her.

"What are you in for?" He asked, that familiar, wide smile beaming at her, flickering brightly under the soft candlelight, and she still refused to look.

"Caught in Hogsmeade without a permission slip." She answered. She had gone only because Lily had not left her much choice, the begging continued for days and was the only thing brought up when they were together. Hermione decided it would be a good place to start at least to ask her about Severus, whom she had spotted here and there hiding in the shadows at Hogsmeade, watching them...or really, Hermione, closely. Losing track of time and whereabouts, Lily and Hermione had been in the Three Broomsticks where Minerva McGonagall picked her out of the crowd and sent her straight back to the castle with a shiny new detention waiting for her. Gilderoy humphed a bit, turned back to his bat and worked the spleen out of its small body, slapping it into a container that already held a good amount.

"As fascinating as that must have been for you, I have you beat." He grabbed for a new bat. "I carved my name into the Quidditch pitch." He gave a laugh suggesting Hermione should be in awe of such destruction. "Surely you've seen it by now?"

Hermione had heard mention of it, but knowing very well of Lockhart's vanity, did not wish to play into it as hard as it was seeming to do. Although he had made her second year a struggle and almost depleted Harry and Ron of their memories and stories to take them as his own, she couldn't help but feel the same bit of floppy heartbeats she experienced before finding out his true intentions. Realizing she was no longer squeezing her leech and had, in fact, been staring at him, shook herself from it.

"No." She answered, forcing herself to concentrate on the leech instead. "I'm afraid I haven't."

Gilderoy pouted, his knife sticking in the bat.

"Are you sure? It's quite hard to miss, really. I could show you if you'd like? After detention why don't you and I take a little stroll over there, I can show you how I did it and tell you about the time my uncle and I fought off a-"

"-please, if you don't mind..." Hermione grabbed for another leech. "...I'd rather just concentrate on my detention and go straight to bed afterwards."

"Oh." He sounded a bit hurt and Hermione felt an instantaneous pang of guilt. She caught herself turning to him to apologize, maybe take him up on his offer, managing to stop herself by thinking about Ron and how angry he'd be when she'd get back to her time and explain this part to him. Whether or not she'd actually tell him about it was in the air, but it was the thought that kept her grounded.

"Well...some other time then. I'm sure it will take that oaf of a groundskeeper weeks to fix it." Gilderoy was laughing as he said it. Hermione squeezed her leech so hard it split in half.

"That oaf of a groundskeeper happens to be my friend." She said. "If you're halfway a decent person, you'll be out there helping him fix it and apologizing until you're blue in the face."

"Maybe you're right. Would make a good story to send home, though an apology? He should be the one apologizing to me for removing it." Gilderoy nodded, decidedly. "You're a friend of his you say? Well then, any friend of yours is as good as mine. Yes, I think a formal introduction is in place."

"No." Hermione said, gritted her teeth, and left it at that. As presumptuous as she knew him to be, this younger version seemed to be even more so than she remembered, possibly from not having reached that level of fame yet that would calm the need for acceptance he felt in his youth. "Magical Me," one of his future publications, had touched only lightly on his years at Hogwarts, and though he didn't go into detail, Hermione had gotten the impression he had been the Cedric Diggory of his time, loved by all females, friends with all males. What she saw here was nothing more than a pathetic try at even making a friend. It was his first year, Hermione reminded herself, and as such there had not been much time for him to gain the fans he wrote about.

"How are we coming along?" Professor Slughorn had entered the room again, his arms full of heavy boxes which he sat down on his desk and from them, pulled two handfuls of empty glass vials, bringing them over to the table she and Gilderoy were working at. He stood opposite them, giving a disappointed look at Hermione's sad amount of leech juice, but dismissed it when he saw the amount of bat spleens Gilderoy had gathered.

"Getting along, are we?" He asked as he summoned over a chair, sat down and began to fill the vials with bits of spleen.

"Splendidly, Professor." Gilderoy answered. Hermione almost lost herself in his smile again, snapping out of it when Slughorn turned to Hermione with interest.

"So tell me, Miss Granger, with your marks as good as they are in my classes-classes that you aren't even enrolled in mind you, have you given thought to pursuing a future in potion making?"

"Thank you, Professor, but my interests lie within the Ministry." Hermione answered with a genuine smile.

"And how so?" Slughorn asked, his eyes widening in interest.

"Magical law and enforcement." She decided not to bring anything of SPEW into the conversation.

"How interesting, I've known many who have succeeded in becoming Aurors, great Aurors at that, and would be delighted to put a good word in for you."

Hermione dropped her leech, the hesitation going unnoticed by Slughorn as he continued on.

"And I'd like to invite you to dinner one of these nights. You see, I have a group of students whom I find to be successful that I wish to get to know better. You'd fit in perfectly, Miss Granger."

"Oh, well, I, um..." Hermione knew exactly what the Slug Club as it became to be known was all about having already attended it in the future. There was a certain charm about it that she couldn't deny, feeling refreshed to be in the company of like-minded and driven students, and dare say she even missed in the years after graduation, but unfortunately with circumstances as they were, being part of the Slug Club was not exactly something she wanted to take part in.

"That's quite an offer!" Gilderoy butted in, and Hermione dared not stop him if it meant she'd be saved from accepting. "You know, Professor, I've actually started a first draft of a memoir that I plan on getting published once I graduate. Should give me enough time to experience many exciting adventures and meet many accomplished witches and wizards."

"All very nice, Lockhead." Slughorn answered, still intently waiting for an answer from Hermione. She hesitated again, reaching across Gilderoy to grab a bat out of his container and filled time grabbing her bag beside her to fetch out a knife.

"I think Gilderoy has a more enticing reason to be accepted." Hermione said when she resurfaced, one hand holding the knife, eyes stuck on the bat. "Surely adventure trumps a boring desk job any day."

"She has a point, Professor." Gilderoy added, nodding as fast as he could. Slughorn made an uncomfortable noise deep in his throat.

"As exciting as your future does sound, my qualifications are a bit more rounded." Slughorn answered.

"Well if he isn't joining, then I'm not joining." Hermione stated, seeing the way out of the club before she even had a chance to think about what this might do to Gilderoy's ego. Slughorn wheezed as he vacillated between the two of them, an expression of sadness, the corners of his mouth drawn down in disappointment.

"I'll ask you to reconsider, Granger. Your future may just depend on it." He said sadly, sneaking a look of pity to Gilderoy, before he stood with his vials, placed them on his desk, and walked out of the room to the greater halls of Hogwarts. Gilderoy stared at the door until he was sure Slughorn wasn't coming back in.

"Ha! Can you believe it? I think we may have planted the start of a bargain. We'll be in that Slug Club by next week, you and I."

"If that is the case you're more than welcome to join it without me." Hermione said. Gilderoy looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Are you kidding? Turning down an offer like that? Do you even know the kind of reputation those in his club have?"

"I've a good idea." Hermione nodded. "My previous school had that kind of club that I was in. Not exactly anxious to get back in it." She explained if only to stop the look of disbelief from reaching Gilderoy's hairline. He pressed his lips together, accepting her reason and removed a few more bat spleens.

"Thank you for at least trying to get me into it." He said a while later, softly, sincerely. Hermione sighed lightly, already knowing he'd never make it into the Slug Club, which was the only reason she refused to join without him yet she didn't have the heart to explain it to him.

"It's been hard finding friendly people here. Seems no one wants anything to do with me." Gilderoy shrugged as he spoke, she watched him. "They don't think I notice them brushing me off or avoiding me. I think I was cursed in that part of my life. But I'll show them. Just wait until my name headlines The Prophet, they'll all see it and only wish they were nicer to me."

Hermione put the lids on the containers, held her wand and gave the table a wave to clean it up, Gilderoy raising an eyebrow curiously at her actions. Grabbing her bag from beside her, she placed it on her lap, and turned to him.

"Let's get out of here. You wanted to show me the Quidditch pitch?"

...

She hadn't fully accepted the fact that she was allowing Gilderoy Lockhart to guide her across the grounds to the pitch, or that she was trying to be friendly with him at all. Though he was charming, and she was fighting giddiness, something had come together to make a bit of sense of his future vendetta against the world. He had no friends, his actions that pined for attention came because he didn't get any, and he was already starting to show signs of revenge. If she couldn't fix her own future, maybe she could fix Gilderoy's before he could find the joy in memory charms and the ease of stealing others lives all by showing him some kindness and compassion. It was worth a shot, anyway, there wasn't much left to lose. He'd either find his own adventures or continue on the path of thievery.

She had to admit, seeing his name spread across the pitch in long, loopy letters that slanted and jumped every now and again was indeed impressive, though a good portion of it had already been tempted to grow back. From what she could see of it anyway. The moon, though full, could only produce so much light to contrast a flat grassy surface.

"Originally I thought about just getting out there with a shovel...then remembered I'm a Wizard and have a wand. So I climbed those stairs just there-" He pointed to the next stand over, "-and used a chopping charm I got out of a book in the library. As you can see it works beautifully."

"Brilliant." Hermione agreed.

"It only took them an hour longer than I anticipated for them to find it and call me into Dumbledore's office. Weren't exactly the happiest of people, talked about expelling me, but good 'ol Dumbledore wouldn't allow it. Mentioned that grass can be regrown, and I would learn my lesson with detentions for the remainder of the school year."

"Something tells me you've more up your sleeve." Hermione joked. Gilderoy smiled with guilt.

"You already know me too well and we've just started our friendship." He said with a wink. Hermione's stomach flopped against her will, and she looked away, across the grounds and admired the beauty that she only found at Hogwarts. And from their position from the stands, Hermione had a clear view of the Whomping Willow that was gently swaying in an invisible breeze. Under the moonlight, it's leaves twinkled, and so did a row of animals that darted over the grounds toward the tree. Her stomach began flopping again, but not because of Gilderoy. She looked up to the moon again, then back to the tree where the animals had paused around it, almost like they were conversing with each other. The smallest of them broke free, dodging a few branches that sensed its presence and rushed to the trunk, where the branches immediately immobilized, allowing the rest to go forward except for one. A stag remained behind, walking quickly to a stack of old logs set not too far away, lowered itself to the ground, but kept its sight watching the tree, twisting its head and lifting its neck every so often to see the castle.

"Oh no." Hermione whispered, looking to the moon again, then to Gilderoy. He hadn't noticed her, standing there admiring his name written in the pitch, a dreamy smile. Hermione looked back to the tree, then quickly twisted around, leaning over the walls of the stand to look back to the castle, but did not watch for long as she knew there was not enough time to spot any sign of Severus walking across the ground to the tree to remove herself from the stands and get over there to help him. She turned suddenly, nearly knocking Gilderoy over, and pressed for the stairs, following them down. Gilderoy had followed her, she wouldn't have expected any less.

"What are we doing?" Gilderoy breathlessly asked as he ran at her heels.

"Saving someone." She answered quickly, there wasn't enough time to explain the situation and he was too far involved to not include him, sending him away would be useless.

"Saving who?" Gilderoy asked and Hermione pressed on faster. She caught sight of black robes sneaking over the grounds just in front of them.

"Severus!" She screamed, but he did not hear.

"Severus?" Asked Gilderoy, who sounded like he knew the name but was not entirely certain of the person. "You mean Severus Snape?"

"Severus! Wait!" She screamed again, but the figure moved on. Feeling as if her legs were going to give out, she continued to push herself, tripping over a sudden incline of ground, grabbed by Lockhart before she could fully tumble down, righted, and he was suddenly ahead of her, arms swinging for momentum, his feet a blur they were running so fast. She watched as Gilderoy made it to Severus, lunging on him and bringing the both of them to the ground just before a branch of the Whomping Willow could smack them away, and just as James Potter raced up to the both of them, obviously angry.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" James was yelling at Gilderoy, who was being shoved away by Severus who clamored to their feet as quickly as possible.

"Saving him." Gilderoy answered cluelessly though with a strong nod. Severus was glaring at him, James stood there, wide eyed. Hermione stopped beside them her wand already drawn and held loosely at her side.

"Should have known you'd be around, Granger." James acknowledged her presence, sneering. "Birds of a feather really do flock together, eh?"

"You have no right bringing him into this, James." She was livid, shaking in the place she stood.

"And you have no right bringing yourself into this either." James said, squaring his shoulders off on her. Severus took a long, slow step forward, a hand reaching out to grab Hermione's arm.

"You shouldn't be here." He whispered to her, She shook her head.

"This time I definitely should be here." Her eyes flicked over James. "This situation is one of the worst mistakes-" she bit her lip, her head shaking again.

"The only mistake I see here is you and this attention-monger getting into business that is not yours to be in." James threw his chin at Gilderoy who's jaw dropped open on offense. Then, there was sudden movement. James had pulled his wand, Severus yelped in pain, a hand raising to his nose, which had begun bleeding. "Thought I'd trim down that honker for you. Guess I missed." James's lips peeled back to reveal his teeth. "Sorry."

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Hermione yelled, her own wand raising. James clicked his tongue, pouting, though he eyes her wand warily.

"Put that stick away, Granger. Don't make me hex you. Impedimenta!" There was another blast of light, James had turned his wand on Gilderoy who had raised his own wand and blasted him back. Hermione growled in displeasure and flicked her own wand. James lifted off the ground, turning upside down in one swell swoop, anchored in the air by nothing but his ankle while the other foot kicked the air freely.

"Let me down!" James ordered. Hermione did not. She raised her wand, in turn raising James higher into the air. She looked at Severus who was fully glaring at her, a hand still holding his nose.

"Where did you learn that spell?" He asked, and Hermione flapped her jaw. She had no answer prepared. She hadn't even expected to be using one of Severus's spells in front of him as she had just done so easily. His eyes narrowed, he turned and began to walk back to the castle. Hermione lost her concentration, James falling back to the earth, hard, but she did not care. She ran after Severus who swatted her away when she reached for him.

"Go away." He barked. Hermione refused his offer, trying again.

"Severus."

"I don't keep friends who steal from me." He said sharply.

"Please, Severus, I can explain, I was only trying to help." She begged. Severus barred his teeth and hissed.

"Yeah, well, I don't need any help from filthy little Mudbloods like you."

Severus stormed off to the castle alone. Hermione was unable to take a further step, not hurt by the name he had called her, but realizing what had just happened and wondered what kind of impact this preemptive moment would have on her future.


	9. Chapter 9

During breakfast, Hermione had expected some kind of tension to appear around her, but what she did not expect was the tulip, carried by a morning post owl, to be dropped right in front of her, a ribbon showing her name and when she touched it, a single voice began to sing from the center of the petals.

"Through thick and thin,

days and years,

No friend is better,

Than the one here..."

She didn't react at first, dumbly sitting there watching the tulip and reading her name on the ribbon making sure it was addressed to her.

"She is grand,

She is great,

A friend she is,

And one first rate..."

And then she heard the sniggering from those around her. The singing, not exactly loud enough for the whole hall to hear her, but just enough for those surrounding her to listen began gathering attention. Her cheeks reddened and she tried covering the top of the tulip with her hand, the sound muffled for a second before coming out of the bottom of the stem, and when she covered that, the leaves began to sing.

"Wizards better look out,

Witches beware,

This girl you see,

Sitting right there..."

Mortified, the students around her began drawing attention to the flower and slowly a domino effect began flowing through everyone, conversations coming to a halt, a crowd beginning to form around her. Then amusing laughter bounced from those listening.

"Is none other,

As there is no other,

My best friend,

Hermione Granger!"

A few cheers sounded, strangers patted her back giving praise to a job well done, others openly wondered who it could have come from, but Hermione knew exactly. It wasn't exactly the same bashful feeling she had when he had written her a get well card, it was more a dreadful feeling of being caught up in something sticky now, embarrassing for all the wrong reasons, and she began to envy those who were smart enough to avoid Gilderoy Lockhart from the start instead of befriend him as because of pity. She dropped the tulip back on the table and the repetitive song stopped when she let it go. She smiled as best as she could to those around her, gathered her bag, and tried to leave.

Someone touched the flower and the singing started all over again. It was pushed into her hands with a teasing reminder of 'you forgot your gift' compelling her to take it hastily, shoving it into her bag haphazardly, and rush from the room.

It didn't stop there, as much as she would have liked it to; owls hounded her every few minutes afterward, like an explosion, all singing the same song and every flower added turned the one voice into a singing group, each with their own harmony or added embellishment making her bag sound like she had gathered a tiny barber shop quartet inside of it. Moments of silence came far and few between deliveries, as now her classmates were aware that the flowers would start singing the moment they were touched, and would touch them just to start the singing up again.

Her bag was bursting at the seams by the time lunch rolled around and when the owls came in succession, one after another without a break, Dumbledore had risen to his feet and announced that lunch would not continue as he plucked feathers off of his corned beef sandwich and out of his split pea soup, and then with a sad look at the owls now congesting the windows and ceiling, thought it would be best to cancel dinner as well.

Hermione stayed deep in the center of the castle into the evening, where the owls still lurked, waiting for her around most corners, but due to special charms being cast to prevent any more from entering the castle, she was able to move about more freely, able to see an incoming delivery, but run from it before it could get to her, which brought her to the fourth floor and the only room she could think of in her moment of panic that would have a door that could put her between them.

Wincing as she slammed the door and hearing a painful screech of an owl that hit it head on, the sudden feeling of peace overcame her quickly and she fell to the floor in a heap, but it didn't last long.

"Let's get one thing straight. Those owls stay outside of this room or I will personally deliver you to them, myself." Severus spoke not bothering to lift his head from his writings, the tone of his voice clearly angry and on the verge of something more. Hermione gave a hefty nod.

"Fine with me." She said, standing again and moving to her own desk. There was something different about it and it only took her a second to notice the comfy chair she had bargained from Severus had been removed and replaced with the stiffest chair in the room that swiveled and leaned at a wonky angle. She thought about protesting, but when she caught the flash of anger in Severus' eye, as if he was challenging her to say something about it, slumped her shoulders, threw her bag on the table and slid down into it, Severus returned to his work.

She reached into her bag to grab a text book and a roll of parchment, forgetting that it had been stuffed with tulips, and just a single, clumsy touch of them with her hand had caused a good amount of them to burst into song. She heard the snap of a quill, and braced for some kind of reaction. Chancing a look over, she saw he was staring at her again, his nostrils flaring, an eye twitching faster than she had ever seen. She closed her bag, pressing on it to muffle the noise.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry. It'll stop in a second."

Severus continued to glare through the song. She sunk down in her chair.

"Out of all the people in Hogwarts and you just had to make friends with that one?" He asked, motioning toward the bag.

"Well I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting that the willow thing was to happen last night otherwise I would have waited." She shot back. Severus lifted an eyebrow.

"Why were you even out there? Spying? Snogging?"

"Neither if you must know." The singing stopped, she chanced opening the bag again, pulling the top open and looked inside. Gently, she clawed two fingers in, grabbing the text and tried pulling it out, but the slight movement knocked into a few tulips that fell and nudged at her fingers. They sprang back into song instantly causing her to shut her bag again and sigh angrily.

"You wouldn't happen to have an extra astronomy book would you that I could borrow for now?" She asked hopefully in a last effort to get some studying done. She already knew the assignment well, she just needed something to distract her from the nights events. Severus sniffed, turned back to his own work and went to begin working on it until he noticed his quill was broken.

"Why? Planning on stealing it from me?" He remarked rather snidely and Hermione shut her eyes.

"No." She answered shortly. "And I didn't steal that spell from you either, if that's where your going." She opened her eyes again and saw Severus was still staring at his quill, running the feathers through his fingers having repaired it with his wand and was now working on straightening it as much as he could. He let out a snort.

"Right. A spell that's been in my book and only my book since I marked it in there not a fortnight before. You've been quite interested in that book since you first laid eyes on it, don't think I haven't noticed."

"That book has-"

"-what else do you know? How did you get the information?"

"-nothing, I don't know nothing-"

"-bullocks." Snape snapped his eyes to her, his teeth forming a solid line as he pushed them together, the paleness of his skin giving away to a bright pink. Hermione stayed quiet, eyeing her bag as if yearning to attempt it again. She didn't notice Severus had left his chair and had moved to her until he pushed the bag away, it landing on a floor with a heavy thud, her chair turned to him, and he was inches away from her face, leaning so hard on the chair it was tilting backwards. She squeaked, backing away from him as far as she could.

"There's something going on with you, though the others haven't noticed I surely have. What secrets have you? Why are you here?"

"I-I-". Hermione gulped for an answer that didn't come.

"You took to Lily fast enough, but that's to be expected, she's immediately friends with everyone she meets. What's not expected, however, is your sudden kindness to me, your sudden alacrity to protect, to invade my space I so kindly offered to you in exchange for something I get the feeling hasn't even been attempted yet." He backed off slightly, Hermione suddenly feeling cold without the blast of heat radiating from him nearly on her.

"What are you?" He hissed again, question flying one after another. "What are you after? What business have you here? How do you know so much about things that you shouldn't-" he stopped talking abruptly.

Hermione, under pressure of all of his questions and stressed from the weeks before had burst into tears before she could stop herself. She made to push past him, to get out of her chair and to leave feeling battling owls instead of him would be better, but he grabbed her arm and held her fast to the spot before she could so much as leave his personal bubble. His look was softer, more concerning, but still one filled with anger, one that sought answers and she found she couldn't resist. He threw her back down in the chair and she rubbed at her eyes before she exploded.

"I'm stuck here, alright? I've been pulled back in time somehow with no way to get back t-to the f-future and I'm s-s-stuck here. Alone. N-no friends. N-no o-one to turn to besides a Headmaster who seems to be doing nothing to help me get back to whence I came and I'd appreciate it if you qu-quit interrogating me, alright?! Is that a good enough answer for you?" She blubbered a few times, hiccuped once, then held her breath hoping to compose herself.

Severus slowly stood upright, a hand rising to the back of his neck and rubbed at it as if to help him absorb what he had just heard. Slowly, she looked up to him.

"Your b-book. My friend got it in the supply cabinet after he didn't expect to take p-potions and ended up doing so. Your spell was in it" She sniffled. "Lily..." She bit her lip, having to pause to push back another round of tears that wanted to come. "Lily was his mother."

Severus was impassive, just stood there looking at her blankly. She swallowed hard.

"The willow, it was James who was supposed to save your life last night from it, not me. In doing so you would end up owing him a life favor which caused you great turmoil in your life, and an even bigger bias for James, and I only thought if I got to you first...I wouldn't expect anything from you in return...situation avoided." She explained.

"But you didn't save me." Severus said, shaking his head, his hand dropped. Hermione winced only then realizing that it had been Gilderoy and not her who had saved him.

"I didn't mean for him to-"

"-wait. Save my life from the whomping willow? I hardly think that tree is capable of killing anyone. Maiming, yes, but killing?"

"The tree wouldn't have killed you." Hermione said, wishing she could stop talking about it, but knew she had already said too much to even plead for him to forget. The issue had been of interest to him for a while, since the tree had been placed on school grounds. "It hides the entrance to the shrieking shack. It's what's inside there that would kill you, what James would have stopped you from."

Severus looked at her expectantly. She groaned slightly in reluctance to explain.

"The tree, the shrieking shack, it was all built to hide away a werewolf."

"A werewolf?" He repeated. "Here? In Hogwarts?!"

"One you know quite well, I'm afraid."

"Who?" Severus asked, but Hermione shook her head.

"I'm going to let you figure that one out on your own."

Severus didn't look too pleased with this, but accepted it as he pulled himself to sit upon the desk.

"Lily has a kid?" He asked. "Is it by chance..."

Hermione looked away quickly not wanting to see the disappointment when she shook her head just enough to give an answer, and he gave a nod, understandably shrugging.

"No. Of course not. How foolish of me to think such things." He said.

"I'm sorry, Severus." Hermione whispered as he picked at his thumbnails.

"Do we at least get a chance?" He asked sounding less than hopeful. Hermione bit her lip wondering just how much she should tell him.

"No." She answered after a while. "But if it means anything I may have turned that around last night."

"How so?" He stole a glance to her and she smiled slightly.

"That Mudblood line you used on me, it was meant for her and was the cause of a broken friendship."

"I called Lily a-a-" His face fell. "She didn't deserve me anyway." The corners of his mouth pulled downward before he looked at Hermione. "I'm sorry I even called you that, thinking you'd stolen something from me. My temper runs wild sometimes."

"I know." She sighed. "And there's no need to apologize to me. From what I know of you that word was just a part of your vocabulary at that moment, not something you'd use freely."

"It's late." Severus decided, pulling himself off the desk and walked over to his things to pack them away. Hermione glanced at her own bag dreading the moment she'd have to collect it, thinking that she really didn't need the books inside as she had already committed them to memory and that the bag could stay there for all eternity, yet she grabbed for the strap unable to leave it behind and pulled it up over her shoulder and stood, walking with Severus to the door.

"I'm sorry for interrogating you." He said. "I am my fathers son."

"I accept your apology. If it means anything I do feel better now, but-." Hermione grabbed his arm to keep him from walking out. He looked at it and then to her.

"No one can know about this, Severus." She told him sternly. "Only Dumbledore knows, and now you, and if this gets out and around I'm afraid that-"

"-I won't tell anyone." He said covering her hand on his arm with his own and removed it gently.

"I mean it, Severus. Not a person, not a bug, not anyone or anything. No matter how much you trust them."

"You've my word."

Hermione watched him, a thoughtful smile growing as she realized that yes, she could trust him. He had, after all, kept a secret to himself in the future for decades without anyone figuring the truth.

"Thank you." She said, and they left the room.


	10. Chapter 10

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think there was something going on between you two, hmm?" Lily raised her eyebrows as she watched Severus, who had excused himself to return to the castle, and then she threw an accusing look to Hermione who's jaw had dropped.

"We're just friends." Hermione said defensively. "Not a thing is going on between us, trust me."

"But you two are growing so close!" Lily squealed, her hands clapping together. "Oh this is exciting, you and Severus..."

"We are not together!" Hermione pressed. "We've just had a heart to heart the other night and developed an understanding. That's all."

"Uh-huh." Lily nodded. "Right."

Hermione grunted, sighed and adjusted her bag strap on her shoulder.

"Besides," Hermione said. "It's you he likes. He's been on me to get you to go to Hogsmeade with him one of these weekends." Hermione sounded hopeful, stating it as more of an offer, but Lily pulled the corners of her lips back in a wince.

"I'm not-no." Lily said. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on. Severus is a great guy, you should give it a chance."

"No." Lily said sharply, and then sucked in a lungful of air. "I am well aware that he is nice, and we're close, but no. I couldn't."

"Not even one date to make him happy?" Hermione asked. Lily stared at her.

"I'm afraid the answer is still no. Negative. Zilch." She paused, her head shaking. "As good of a friend he is, he's just not my type. He's too dark...obsessed with all the things I'd rather steer very clear from." She sighed hard. "I don't even know why he's asked you about it, he knows this, I've explained it to him all before."

Hermione sat, lips tightly closed. She understood Lily's digressions, but at the same time couldn't figure out why she wouldn't even give Severus just one chance, just one date. Deciding not to press the matter any further, she was just about to bring up the next Quidditch match when a whistle caught their attention. Hermione turned and spotted Sirius walking toward them, he was smiling looking straight at Hermione who's eyes narrowed even more when he winked.

"So tell me, Granger. Anything in the stars that say we're ending up together in the future?" He let out a bellow of laughter and Hermione's eyes widened. She looked to Lily, expecting Lily to have the same reaction if not show curiosity, but of course she didn't know and found Lily rolling her eyes.

"Nothing better to do than find us out, Black? Where's your goons?" Lily looked around them, expecting to see the others slowly make their way out of the grounds, but Sirius shook his head.

"It's just me, promise." He held up his hand in a scouts honor motion. "I was sent by McGonagall. She wishes to speak with you." He held a hand out to Hermione, catching her shoulder in his hand. "Alone."

Lily gave Hermione a questioning look, but Hermione nodded at her.

"Go ahead." She said. "I'm fine."

Lily looked between them and then deciding Sirius wouldn't do much harm, left toward the castle. Hermione shrugged Sirius's hand away.

"Excuse me." She said with a fake smile, readjusted her bag, and walked elsewhere. She wasn't sure where she was going, just away from Sirius who laughed after her.

"Oh come on, Granger!" He laughed more. "It's all in good fun!"

...

The library, she had found it blindly without much effort or thought and then realized she wanted to find a book on any kind of time travel product as it seemed the best way to fill up her time and reason for being there. Row by row she had scanned the spines of every book, gathering an armful before seeking out a table and sitting down in it, mulling over the pages, her mind not retaining anything. She had to re-read one passage three times before she decided to give up and pulled another book from the small pile. There was nothing that seemed to help her or at least give her any information on what had happened, absolutely nothing about getting back to where she was.

Her mind had wandered again and she found herself thinking about what Sirius had said, knowing him well enough to know his reference to the future was a stab at knowing her secret. But how did he find out? The only people that knew were Dumbledore and Severus...Severus...the boy who she spotted weaving between the tables in her direction. She watched him carefully for any tell-tale sign that would give away a traitor as he sat down next to her.

"Question." He said, staring blankly into the table, his fingers forming tents as he mulled over the question. His eyes flicked up to her, then to the table and he gave a lighthearted chortle. "What do I become? In-in the future that is...do I work in potions? Have my spells gained more popularity than just remaining a favorite pastime of Hogwarts?"

"Shhh." Hermione glanced around, the library was empty, but as it were any mention of this was taking a risk. She looked back to Severus and sighed. "I don't think I should be telling you much, especially of yourself." She answered finally. Severus nodded, his thumb picking at the table.

"Oh I understand. It's okay, I was just curious."

Hermione bit the inside of her lip wanting so much to believe the trust she had put in him not to speak a word about this to anyone, but could feel said trust dwindling. There was no one else who could have known and though coincidences did happen, although she was hard pressed to consider anything a coincidence anymore, Sirius had asked in such a straightforward way it made her uncomfortable. Then again Lily didn't let on that she knew, or had even asked her about it at all, not even hinted and the chances were of Severus were to blab to anyone, Lily would have been the first he'd gone to in the school.

"You-" She stopped herself, not wanting to ask, but knowing the feeling wouldn't go away on its own decided she had to. "You haven't told anyone about this, have you?"

"No one." Severus answered. Hermione frowned.

"You sure about that?" Maybe coming off sympathetically would bring about the truth, maybe he was just too bashful to say something? The idea sounded harsh even in her mind, and the look on Severus's face cemented it. "Because if you did, I'd understand."

"Hermione, I haven't told I soul! I gave you my word."

"I know, I know." She said wanting so hard to believe him. "It's just that-" she stopped to swallow. "It's just that Sirius said something to me today that lead me to believe he knows about...this." Her forehead creased. "You're the only other person who knows and I doubt that Dumbledore-" She had to stop herself this time because another person had entered the room and taken a seat closer to them than was comfortable. Severus directed his glare to them.

"I haven't so much as dreamed about telling anyone." He whispered. "If Black knows, he found out by other means."

Hermione remained quiet. If there was anything she had learned in her Ministry training, it was that silence could open doors, bring about confessions that one did not expect. Severus shifted uncomfortably.

"Have I given you a reason to doubt me? At anytime? Here or-then?" He whispered the last word and Hermione had to admit, she had no reason to disbelieve him. There was no evidence pointing toward him betraying her. She rubbed her face with her hands and sighed.

"I'm sorry." She said through her palms. "You don't even talk to any of them willingly, it is foolish of me to think you'd talk to them about this."

Severus had remained quiet and Hermione had to peek through her fingers to make sure he was still there. When he gained eye contact he smiled softly.

"You know what would make your apology even sweeter?" He wiggled his eyebrows. Hermione groaned.

"You do realize if you know your own future it could be detrimental to yourself." She answered flatly and then gave up defending his right to remain clueless. He leaned closer, a careful eye on their neighbor. Hermione closed the gap as much as she could and whispered in his ear.

"You become potions professor here at Hogwarts." And she leaned back. Severus gawked.

"That's all!?" He exclaimed, wincing as Hermione flashed him a glare of danger.

"That's it though? All my hard work, sweat and tears and I'm back in this nightmare?" He asked quieter this time and Hermione shrugged.

"I told you it could be detrimental to your own good." She giggled. "If it's any consolation, you're the most feared professor here."

This changed Severus slightly, he almost seemed proud of himself when it sunk in and his chest puffed out slightly.

"I am? The most feared?" Smiling to himself, he reached for a book in Hermione's stack and flipped through it a few times before placing it back on the table and standing. He had got what he came for, and needing no other information, looked down at Hermione. She could see the professor developing in him, still childish in the face, but he was there, wearing a smile.

"Mostly because you never do that thing with your lips." Hermione pointed out his pleasure.

"Ten points for sheer snark, Miss Granger." He joked with as straight of a face he could manage and Hermione gave an impressed look.

"There you go. On your way to the Professor I remember."

Severus rolled his eyes.

"Good night 'Mione." He said and Hermione watched him leave. Not too long after, she gathered the books in her arm and returned them, planning on retiring herself when a hand was tossed over her mouth and she was pulled back into the shadows.


	11. Chapter 11

Too shocked to scream Hermione was pulled back through the library to its darkest corners, she heard the gate of the restricted section being banged open, and saw it slam shut after she was pulled in before the hand was removed from her face and she whipped around to see James Potter standing behind her.

"Granger." He said almost too politely, his interest with her was obvious.

"What do you want?" She hissed. A slow smile spread across his lips.

"Is that anyway to greet a friend?" He faked a pout, but it was short lived. Hermione's face twisted.

"Friend?" She asked. "I wasn't aware we were."

"The best." James gave a nod. "At least by the end of our little chat we will be. Unbelievable, I know, but I'm quite positive of it."

She watched him, eyes narrowing, she could feel her heart thumping in her throat.

"I wanted to apologize for the rude behavior I've given you, along with the others...Sirius, Peter, Remus...we can really take it too far sometimes."

Hermione rolled her eyes, sucking air through her teeth. James held up a hand.

"Now just wait a minute, hear me out, your first impression of us hasn't been exactly flattering. We really aren't that bad once you get to know us."

"And what makes you think I want to get to know you?"

"Because your life will be a lot more easier to deal with while you're here." James flashed a grin. Hermione's eyes widened, her jaw dropping a little. James nodded.

"No use denying it, Hermione. This little secret of yours, I'm quite aware of it."

"But-" She shook her head.

"I can only imagine the struggle you've been through. Leaving your own time, having to start over in a place that feels archaic yet so familiar. People you have known suddenly becoming strangers...all very frightening, I'm sure."

"How did-" She barely heard James when he spoke, stuck on the fact that he knew her problem and how he found out about it taking over her. James gave a throaty laugh.

"I have to hand it to Gilderoy, he sure knows how to show some gratitude to a friend, doesn't he? If it wasn't for him, I'm sure this little meeting would have been postponed if even happened at all." James crossed his arms, Hermione at a loss. Lockhart had no idea of her time issue, at least she hadn't told him anything.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. James raised an eyebrow.

"His owls?" James paused a second until Hermione had a look of recognition. "Plenty of them around here a few days ago and though enjoyable to most of us I'm afraid Peter wasn't exactly thrilled. He has a small fear of them didn't you know?"

"How is that relevant?" She asked. "I assure you Gilderoy has no knowledge of..."

"Sirius had said you, him and Peter had a meeting right after you arrived, do you remember? It was here in the library actually."

The hazy memory flooded back to her, the night she sought some comfort in books and had overheard Sirius and Peter trying to get something from Severus.

"In all honesty, that was the first night we started suspecting something was suspicious about you. Not everyone knows our aliases but the four of us and Sirius mentioned to me that you called Peter by his, which tells us you know of his animagus form."

Hermione's eyes slid closed. She chewed on her lip. She had slipped up, calling Peter 'Wormtail' before she could stop herself and had tried passing it off as 'a gift.' Nothing had come from it in the weeks later and how stupid of her to think they'd forget about it just as easily as she did.

"It didn't make sense then how you'd know Wormtail that personally, but our patience paid off, especially after Lockhart's gifts. Could you imagine his fear at seeing that many owls inside of the castle?" James giggled, "as amusing as it was, he was terrified. So terrified he panicked and changed into a rat to scurry away from them all. Unfortunately the owls spotted him and chased him into a room on the fourth floor." James stopped to let it sink in. Hermione's stomach dropped. "He managed to not get eaten, but also managed to get cornered there as Snivillus had entered shortly after, and then you."

Hermione's knees felt weak, she was shaky and nauseated.

"He heard your confession, Hermione. And as soon as the two of you left, came straight to me." There was an odd sort of pleasure in his voice. "I was intrigued especially when we started piecing things together. How we didn't see it sooner is beyond me, really. And if it wasn't for your little conversation with Snape tonight, what little sliver of doubt I had in Peter wouldn't have been squashed."

"But...we...were alone-besides that one other student-there wasn't anyone else around us." Hermione protested. James's smile reached his eyes.

"We're you really though?" He seemed a little too smug for his own good. "So the dungeon bat becomes a professor?" James asked as if to prove that he had heard their conversation. "How interesting."

"What are you after?" Hermione asked. She was now glaring, though she was trying not to. James shrugged nonchalantly.

"The same as everyone else would want in this instance." He said. "I want to know things, I want success, I want admiration."

"And me telling you your future is supposed to help you achieve that?" Hermione huffed. "I'm sorry to burst your bubble but you'd be better off enjoying what life you have right now without knowing."

"It's a fine life already, I just want to make it that much more enjoyable. So." James smacked his hands together, giving them a rub. "If you want to keep your little secret safe, here's my offer. Tell me what I'm in for, keep me from doing anything that would impede my climb to a happy ending, and I'll see to it that you'll be safe here in Hogwarts. No one will know who you are, and you'll gain some good loyal friendships from it."

"And if I refuse, what makes you believe anyone will believe you? I'm from the future...sounds a little far fetched, doesn't it?"

"Not in the least bit. All it would take is a rumor, they spread like wildfire around here, and a little doubt on your part. The way I see it ending is you'll be so careful not to let on to anything or maybe even become so secluded that you'll end up giving yourself away. It's already happened, hasn't it?"

Hermione couldn't dispute him, it had landed her in her current position after all.

"If you don't wish to accept this offer I'll understand of course. It's not like I can force you to tell me anything, however it would be a shame to watch what friends you do have now begin to doubt you." James said. Hermione furrowed her brow.

"Are you insinuating blackmail?" She sighed, amused. "What could you possibly have on me that they don't know. I haven't been here that long."

"You underestimate me and my pals." James smiled smugly. "Do you even remember what all you confessed to Severus? Peter mentioned the spell you grabbed from his potions book, the one he's always lugging around and quite protective over. Simple logic tells me there's more in there and it would be quite hard to explain yourself if it ended up in your possession."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" James clicked his tongue. "I can be your best friend or your worst enemy."

Hermione stared at him, challenging him and he only stared back. She knew enough about the Marauders as a whole to grasp that they were meddling, but James was a whole new person to her. All she knew about him was what Harry had found out and shared, and never had she expected him to be conniving or as twisted as she saw right now, always thinking he'd be a respectable person; he did fight Voldemort after all, joining the right side in the first wizarding war, showing bravery and sacrifice. She was sure he was a loyal friend, that much was apparent to her as the Marauders were nothing but true to each other, and she had never given any thought to being on the enemy lines of them.

"You'll stop bullying Severus." She said and James seemed confused. Hermione gave a nod. "If I agree to mentor your future, you'll leave Severus alone from now on."

"Of all the bargains you can make you chose to defend that greasy Slytherin?" James was astounded. Hermione simply nodded.

"It will be the first step in winning Lily over." Hermione tempted. This seemed to draw interest from James and he lifted his chin.

"You have my attention." He said.

"I want your word. No more teasing, from any of you."

"That's attainable." James agreed. "He's not worth our time anyway."

Hermione's eyebrow lifted offensively, James challenged it, his arms lifting out to his sides.

"Just speaking the truth." He explained and her eyebrow lowered. She sucked in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. James gave a nod.

"So, about Lily and me."


	12. Chapter 12

"So how'd you do?" Hermione asked Severus as he made his way out of the history classroom along with a dozen other stress-worn students. He took one look at her and rolled his eyes. She winced.

"That bad, huh?"

"Not exactly, I answered all the questions, most of them were simple and direct. It was that last extra credit question that killed me." Severus said. "Why should we even care about cave dwellings that predicted the banning of ogre blood? It's all ancient history that no longer pertains to our lives today."

Hermione giggled.

"It's a shame you didn't join." He said. Hermione shook her head, waving a hand.

"The first time around was stressful enough. I'd be a complete wreck even if I did decide to take the tests again. She patted his back. "You'd have done fine. Don't worry so much. Besides, there's nothing left to do other than finish two more finals and enjoy the winter break."

"Enjoy the winter break." Severus sighed. "Sure. If you say so."

Lunch that day consisted of an assortment of soups and sandwiches, the ceiling let go small bursts of snowfall to mimic what was happening outdoors and though it was enjoyable, it didn't do much to ease the want to be out in it. Not only would it allow them to get out of the castle filled with stressed out teens and edgy professors, it gave them room to breathe and escape the piercing stare of Sirius, who had chosen to sit among the Ravenclaw table and stare at Hermione and Severus as they collected their food from the buffet. Severus didn't seem to notice it as much as Hermione did, and when she suggested they eat outside, Severus happily agreed.

They cleared off a section of wall in the courtyard with a blast of heat from Hermione's wand, and Severus conjured a small ball of flames to hover between them, giving off just enough warmth to keep the both of them from shivering. Between bites of sandwich Hermione quizzed Severus on his runes and hinted at the more challenging questions without giving them away of what she could remember on her own fifth year tests, pausing only when Severus caught sight of James, Remus, Sirius and Peter bursting out of the castle in a loud collection of laughter and hoots, grabbing handfuls of snow and throwing them back and fourth. Besides a sideways glance, they paid them no attention otherwise. Hermione forced her eyes to remain on the pages of the runes textbook while Severus watched suspiciously, expecting perhaps a snowball to fly his way. When none came, Severus scowled.

"Strange, isn't it?" He asked. Hermione shrugged.

"What's strange?" She asked,

"Last week they would have jumped at the chance to find the biggest ice ball and mark me with it. They just walked on by as if we didn't exist."

"Maybe they didn't see us." Hermione hoped she sounded convincing enough to make him forget about it. She turned the textbook to him, pointed at a rune and asked what it meant. Severus sighed, grabbing the book, studied it.

"Now that I think about it, they've been like that all week." He said, the textbook lowered to rest on his lap. "It's like they suddenly lost interest."

"That's a good thing though." Hermione said. She tapped on the picture again. "You know this one. Focus."

Severus looked at the picture again, his eyes narrowing, taking in a sharp breath as if to answer but snapped the book shut.

"Do you know I blasted a pillow across the room in charms yesterday and Black brought the pillow back to me? Actually took it in his hands, walked across the room and handed it back to me? And when I took it he didn't yank it back or swat me with it?"

Hermione sighed heavily and thought about confunding Severus to take his mind off of it, but the look he had given her made her unable to think about doing much of anything.

"I just can't understand." Severus mumbled. "Change is good, but this is drastic."

"I told them to stop." She said. "An opportunity came up and I told James to quit their nonsense."

"An opportunity? Must have been quite the favorable circumstance for them to actually accede to it."

Hermione nibbled her lip, unsure of how to answer that one. Severus glanced in the direction they went, now unable to see them, but they could hear faint cries of enjoyment being screamed. He looked back.

"What happened?" He asked, sharply.

"Oh...nothing, really." Her smile was forced, painful and not convincing enough. Severus continued to stare. Hermione's shoulders fell forward.

"They figured me out is all." She traced a pattern in a snow bank beside her with one finger. "James cornered me and didn't give me much of a chance, so I agreed to let him in on a few things in trade of them stopping their behavior."

How did they find out?" Severus asked, then quickly added, "I haven't said anything to anyone."

"It wasn't you." Hermione assured him. "I made a few mistakes when I first arrived, calling one of them by a name only they know, and through the weeks they figured it out." Hermione looked back up to Severus who did not look happy. "Funny thing is that night in the library, when I told you you'd be a professor, James was there and heard it."

"We were alone though!" Severus gasped. Hermione nodded.

"I thought so too, but he was able to tell me what was said. It's like he was invisible-" Hermione's voice drowned out and she covered her hand with her face, groaning. "Stupid." She whispered to herself. "Stupid! Careless!"

"What?" Severus asked and Hermione took a second to form words.

"He has an invisibility cloak." She said finally. "I should have known, Harry used it all the time."

"Rare, those." Severus said sounding more impressed than anything.

"Very rare." Hermione agreed. "I just wonder how many other times he was around us waiting for something to be said. Or how much he's going to be using it now to listen in."

"How much exactly did you tell him?"

"He wanted to know mostly about him and Lily and where he was going to work in the future."

"Of course he did." Severus breathed. "And what happens with him and Lily?"

Hermione frowned, not wanting to say, but knowing it was useless now, She had a feeling Severus would find out one way or another and maybe if he was prepared for it wouldn't take it so hard.

"They end up marrying." She reached for Severus who turned sideways, his fingers gripping into his palms. "I'm so sorry, Severus."

"And this Harry you keep talking about?" He asked through gritted teeth.

"Theirs." Hermione answered. "And the reason they both get killed."

"Potter gets killed too?" Severus whipped his head around, Hermione nodded.

"Yes. By Voldemort."

"He gets Lily in the end and manages to get them both killed?" He pounded his fist on the stone wall they were sitting on, hard. Hermione winced. He punched again.

"I'll kill him myself if it means saving her life." He hissed.

"No you won't." Hermione demanded. She could see blood staining the snow from his knuckles.

"I will." He said. "Before the Dark Lord can and before this Harry kid can be born, I swear it."

Forcing herself to stay calm Hermione reached for Severus's hand, picking it up off the wall and extended his fingers. A few good cuts streamed red and she removed her scarf from her neck, dabbing at the cuts first before wrapping the scarf around his hand like a bandage.

"This Dark Lord..." Hermione began to shake. "You...you're thinking of joining him, aren't you?" She asked, scared that it would only ignite his temper more. He remained inactive however, sitting there watching Hermione tend to his hand.

"I've considered it." He answered slowly.

"Why?" She asked quietly. "There's nothing good that comes from it."

"What do you mean?" He pulled his hand back slightly and she looked up, her jaw flapping, trying to think of a way to explain it to him gently.

"Do you want the full story or the jest of it?" She asked. "We haven't much time."

"That's why I'm the most feared professor, isn't it? I join him and my Death Eater status scares everyone into obedience."

"...not exactly." She tucked the edges of her scarf into themselves and dropped his hand. "You beg Voldemort to spare Lily. He gives her a chance, but when he threatens to kill Harry, she stepped in and he takes her life. You find out and go to Dumbledore who talks you into becoming a double spy to save her son but you also spend the rest of your life resenting Harry." Hermione took a breath. "He kills you too, Severus. Voldemort kills you."

Severus's stare intensified.

"Please don't join them. You're better off fighting on the right side and protecting Lily and James than you would ever be wasting away without them."

For a moment Hermione could see sense in his eyes, but it faded quickly.

"What difference does it make? You say they are to have a child, that is beyond my power to stop whether I can or not. It is the boy Voldemort is after, no?"

"Harry is the one prophesied to vanquish the Dark Lord." Hermione agreed.

"Then it's already out of my power to protect Lily." Severus concluded sounding heartbroken.

"Then protect yourself." Hermione urged. "Make a life that isn't spent on guilt."

Severus studied the ground for a long time. The flame between them bounced, gently swaying in a breeze that had picked up. Loose snow swirled around them, collecting on their robes and in their hair.

"Seems to me like you feel guilt yourself over my dying in the future." Severus smirked.

"Only because we realized your true motives too late." Hermione shoved him lightly. "I'm just trying to show you your true potential before you make the wrong mistakes."

"You're trying to live my life for me is what it sounds like." He joked. "Won't do much good when you get to go back."

"If I get to go back." She corrected him. "At the rate it's going, I don't think I'll ever get to."

"I'm sure you will."

"Nothing has been found so far. If whatever we're looking for has even been invented yet, I may be stuck here for years."

"You haven't found anything in those books of yours?" Severus asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Unfortunately not. All talk of time travel is nothing more than a mention of a time turner and those are a closely guarded ministry official product as of right now." Hermione shrugged. "Besides, I'd need one around my neck of it were to be of any use."

"I'm not very familiar with those." Severus sighed. "You'd wear it around your neck? It stays with you through travel?"

"Yes. It's a small hourglass in this turny thing that you spin-" Hermione held her hands as if she had a time turner between her fingers and was working it. "Maximum time rewind is only five hours though. I'm hard pressed to believe this has any connection to a time turner at all."

"Are there any instances of people becoming separated from their time turners?" Severus asked. "During travel, or when they appear in the past...the time turner is always there though, right?"

"It would have to be." Hermione answered. Severus hummed lightly, his face screwing around his nose slightly.

"It would only make sense that there's have to be something with you then-whatever you touched to get here, it should have been touching you when you arrived."

Hermione gasped, Severus had a point. The night she arrived had been dark and she had been too emotional to even think that whatever had brought here there may still be in the room.

"You're brilliant." She exclaimed breathlessly. "Absolutely brilliant!" She could have hugged him right then, but held back. Severus smiled slightly.

"You're going to go try to find it, aren't you?" He asked. Hermione nodded.

"I am." She said. "As soon as you get to your next class, I'm going straight to the Gryffindor common room and tear it apart."

"Then I might not see you again should you find it." He added, his voice growing quiet.

"Not immediately." Hermione muttered. "It will be another few years before I'm in your class."

A bell sounded signaling the end of lunch. They watched as James, Remus, Sirius and Peter made their way back through the courtyard, cheeks red with heat from exercise enter through the castle.

"It will be a long wait." Severus said, then gathered his books in one arm and stood. "I hope you find what you're looking for." He said, this smile far from reaching his eyes and hurried away, not giving Hermione a chance to catch up.

It was a long walk to the common room, the longest she had experienced, and being alone didn't make it any better. She was excited that in minutes she may be back in a time she felt was home, with a family she loved, smells and sounds she longed to hear, but the way Severus had left her made her regret her urgency to return. She had grown too close with her friendships here, a mistake she fully blamed herself for. Getting to meet Harry's parents was as much a great thing as it was bad, and maybe getting a chance to tell Harry when she's return would be enough to help her dismiss the betrayal she felt inside her.

The staircases changed twice on her as she climbed, and it seemed that even Hogwarts was trying to keep her from getting to the common room, but she made it there eventually, her feet dragging slightly as she stepped through the portrait of the fat lady and stood in a too quiet room that now felt more like a home than ever before. She took a moment to take it all in, the old look that had only changed in style of furniture between this time and hers, the rest of it indistinguishable. She stood in the center of the room, eyes up high, remembering the clock face she had touched before she was transported back in time and focused as much as she could on looking for something like it.

She turned slowly, eyes scanning the walls, then the floor, then the tables, but nothing had popped out to her. She walked the perimeter, a hand outreach efforts to brush along anything with a shiny surface, chancing even feeling fabric items though it proved useless, and when she was sure she had searched everywhere, had collapsed into the couch, pulled a pillow to her chest and cried into it, half defeated and wanting so badly to go home, and half realizing that she had more time to enjoy nineteen seventy five.


	13. Chapter 13

Hermione was shaken awake and it took her a second to realize she had fallen asleep on the couch, her head hanging in a painful position as the pillow she had clutched had fallen to the floor; the back of the couch being too far low to support her comfortably.

"Hey." He shook her again and it was the shake that brought her back to acknowledgement. She focused on a tired and worn face that looked back at her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Hermione told Remus and he gave a small nod. "What time is it?" She asked. Remus checked his wrist against the fireplace.

"A little after two in the morning." He said. "Feels much later than that, doesn't it?"

She winced under the pain of lifting her head straight and stretched, a yawn completing her actions. The state of Remus suggested he had just come back from the Whomping Willow, his clothes were dusty and worn, his skin was pale and almost see through, a few fresh cuts and bruises adorned his hands and arms, but they didn't seem to bother him. He offered a friendly smile.

"I must look a mess." He held his arms up. "I'm guessing I don't have to come up with some excuse to explain why."

Hermione breathed for a few beats before shaking her head.

"No." She said. "I'm aware of your furry little problem. You really should look at getting a less bothersome rabbit." She winked and Remus grinned knowingly at her response, his arms dropping.

"Thank you for not exposing me."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"I've wanted to talk to you sooner. I'd never hurt anyone intentionally and would have warned Severus myself if I had known that James had planned on sending him to the Whomping Willow. Don't think I could live with myself had he gone in there."

"He wouldn't have made it far to be honest. James would have stopped him before then, but in my future it ends up creating a life debt that Severus wasn't exactly happy with and I'm sure if James found out about it would have taken advantage of."

"So it's true." He raised an eyebrow. "You're really from the future."

Hermione fought back a sigh that wanted to come out.

"What do you want to know?" She asked tiredly, but Remus shook his head.

"Nothing." He answered. "Unlike my friends, and I do apologize for James, he can get haughty when someone knows something he doesn't, I am not under the impression that knowing the future will help me in any way. It would only taint it."

"You're a godsend." Hermione breathed.

"No, I'm just highly logical which allows me to function in society without needing extraneous detail on how my choices would interfere with my life."

Hermione could do no more but release a true, contented smile. It was a relief to see that the Lupin she knew was just as level headed as a boy.

"I'm not James...or Sirius, Hermione." Remus said. "I just want you to understand that. They can be a bit intense at times, even too much for me."

"That much is evident. I just don't understand seeing how they are now, how you keep up with it."

"Sometimes I ask myself the same question." Remus laughter lightly. "They are true friends. Loyal. Ruthless, yes, but trustworthy. Maybe not as mature as we'd hope they be, but they have my back."

Try as she might, she couldn't disagree. Theirs was a tightly knit friendship that, even after twelve years of hardships, couldn't tear those bonds.

"What's really amazing though is your friendship with Severus." He said half in jest. "Normally he doesn't take kindly to those outside his own house or interests."

"He's really not so bad once you get to know him." Hermione defended lightly. "Come to think of it our interests do match closely here so it isn't much of a surprise that we'd gravitate into some kind of friendship."

"Good. I'm glad." Remus gave a curt nod then quickly shook his head at Hermione's judgmental glance. "No, I'm serious. I mean I know he doesn't care for me much because I mull around with his enemies, but I can't say that I've ever disapproved of him. He needs a good few friends. I'm sure if it wasn't for James and Sirius we'd have gotten along just fine."

"That shouldn't stop you. I'm sure if he knew you were accepting of him he'd have another friend in no time, at least someone he knew wasn't after him." Hermione pouted slightly. "He actually helps you out quite a bit during my third year at Hogwarts..."

"I do not wish to know." Remus lifted a hand to stop her and she glared at it in defiance.

"I know, but this might actually improve your life even now." She grabbed his hand and brought it down, shifting to look at him more straight on. "It's just a potion that is in the works as we sit here today, very complex, something even challenging for a learned potions master to make, but effective. It will help your inner werewolf."

Remus crossed his arms and leaned back, eyes narrowing.

"This is a life lesson that I need to learn to cope with on my own." He said, but Hermione persisted.

"It won't stop you from transforming, but it will help ease your symptoms. It's called Wolfsbane. Please, Remus, please look into it. You don't have to take it, but just know that it's out there, or will be in the next few years."

"You tempt me though I asked not for it."

"Only because it does help you in the future anyway, and maybe finding out about it earlier will do you some good."

"I'll forgive you this time and pretend I didn't hear anything about it. If it is to happen when you say it does, then I'll rest assured it has already worked and will trust it."

Hermione sighed heavily, wishing she could talk him into it but seeing his stubbornness about it, knew that it was useless getting him to acknowledge it at all.

"Fine. Not another word." She said defeated and Remus smiled in triumph.

"I'm glad we talked, but bedtime calls." He stood and walked to the stairway that would lead him to the dormitories. "Good night, Hermione. If I don't see you, have a good holiday?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, wishing him the same and wanting to hope she'd be able to fill up the few weeks ahead with good, useful things.

...

"Thank you all for a wonderful term. Everyone has worked hard, professors and students, you all have earned a great break. May you enjoy this last feast of the year and come back refreshed." Dumbledore spread his hands, then clapped them together and the four rows of tables filled with food, leaving not one inch of the tables bare. The professors were hidden behind their own piles of trays, some so packed they wobbled. An explosion of voices carried through the great hall, excitement for leaving the school and getting home evident with everyone. Hermione tried her best to share in the excitement, but found it hard. She had nowhere to go, her break would be spent there in Hogwarts, and it wouldn't surprise her in the least bit if she'd drive herself crazy in that time.

"HERMIONE!"

She turned around, viewing the Slytherin table and saw Severus standing, he was propelling his hand in a 'come hither' motion so fast she was surprised it didn't break off and fly away. He had seen her sitting at the Gryffindor table when he entered, but had been hurried along by his classmates he didn't have a chance to stop. She could feel him watching her throughout Dumbledore's speech and was honestly glad to see him. She accepted his invitation to join his table quickly, standing fast, her plate clutched in one hand, and she made her way quickly to her new seat.

"Hi." She said as she settled down beside him.

"I didn't expect you to be here, you weren't anywhere yesterday, I thought you had found the time-". Severus cleared his throat. "Thought you had found it and had left."

"No such luck." Hermione said. "There wasn't anything remotely close to what brought me here, and I touched it all."

"I'm sure you did." Severus said. "I'm sorry you didn't find it." He took a few large mouthfuls of food, chewing slowly. Hermione nibbled at her own plate.

"Any fun plans for your holiday?" Hermione asked, and Severus shook his head swallowing hard.

"Just go home and count down the days until I can return here, really." He pushed another forkful into his mouth. "And you?" He asked, his cheek bulging as he made room to speak.

"I'm afraid I'll be here." She said unceremoniously. "Actually I've been thinking. Maybe it would be best for me to just leave Hogwarts altogether. I know Dumbledore has tried his best at keeping me here, but I think I can accomplish more if I'm being proactive." She had spent the previous day and night hidden away in the girls dormitories under blankets thinking of things to do, convincing herself that remaining at Hogwarts was the worst choice. She'd already wasted enough time waiting for something to happen.

"Leave Hogwarts? Where would you go?" Severus asked, astounded and he dropped his fork. "Do you have friends or family? And what about money?"

"I can make my way." Hermione said. "I've survived nearly a full year of camping and don't have any problems doing it again."

"What?" Severus shook his head. "That's nonsense. Sounds like more work than needs to be done if you ask me."

"I originally wanted to go to my future in-laws, but Dumbledore is right on that one I'm afraid. They aren't well off right now and I'd only hinder their and my future."

"Not to mention it'd be a bit creepy for them, wouldn't it?" Severus chuckled. "What about your parents? Surely you'd be able to find them and explain-"

"-They're too far away and I don't want to chance ruining them having me by showing up."

"Good point." Severus grabbed his fork, pushed a few bites of food around on his plate. Hermione looked around them just now comprehending all that they had said while being surrounded by people, but none of them had seemed to notice. They were all in conversations of their own, voices roaring, slurping butterbeers down with vengeance.

"Hey." Severus said suddenly, Hermione's attention returned.

"This may sound like a crazy idea, but..." He paused, a crooked smile on his face. "Why don't you come home with me? You'll be out of the castle, and you won't be under the nose of Dumbledore every second of the day."

"I couldn't impose." Hermione stated graciously, but Severus shook his head.

"Don't worry about that."

"Really, I appreciate the offer, but I couldn't. Your parents wouldn't be aware I'm coming."

"They barely even know I'm there half the time, trust me when I say they wouldn't mind."

Hermione pursed her lips. Severus looked at her expectantly, she could tell he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Lily's right down the street from me. If you get bored, I'm sure you could pop over there for some excitement." Severus added as if to sweeten the deal. At the mention of Lily, Hermione looked around, stretching her neck to see the Gryffindor table.

"Speaking of Lily, have you seen her around lately?" Hermione asked. Severus shook his head.

"I expected she was just busy studying." He answered.

"It's been a week at least since I've seen her around the tower."

Severus shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out when you come home with me then."

Hermione pushed her eyebrows together.

"You're not going to let me turn you down, are you?" She asked. Severus smirked.

"Nope."

"I don't know, Severus." Hermione sighed. "It's quite short notice."

"Alright, I get it. Go camping, sleep on hard ground, covered in snow, sounds like great fun." Severus sounded less than thrilled and she shivered at the thought of camping during winter. She had magic to keep her warm and dry, of course, but being alone in the middle of nowhere, chancing traveling to and from her temporary home did sound trying.

"If I do decide to take your offer I just want to make it clear that I'll be working at finding my way back to the future. I won't be much for company." She advised.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't expect that already." He paused, his food now untouched. "Besides, I could help you if you needed it. I'd just be playing with potions and reading otherwise."

Hermione studied him and then gave a final surrendering nod.

"You'll write first, of course. I wouldn't want to just show up unexpectedly." She pressed. Severus agreed reluctantly.


	14. Chapter 14

With Severus fast asleep in the seat across from her, it left not much for Hermione to do but read and as hard as she try, watching Severus got her mind wandering past the words in her books; She hadn't once given thought to his home life, never having a reason to and maybe not caring about his upbringing as much as she should of as it could have explained the way he was when she knew him, and maybe given her a whole new perspective on why he was always so crass and secretive. Going there, it was only natural to begin wondering.

The form in front of her, choosing to wear his school robes home instead of dress down for the occasion led her to believe that maybe he didn't have clothes that fit him, never seeing him without at least school cloak covering him even on the days when students were allowed to wear whatever they pleased. Or, maybe he just wanted to make a good impression on his family, the uniform making him look sharp, demanding respect. Then again, Severus did say that they barely recognized him when he was around, and Hermione couldn't help but feel that maybe it was to help boost his own spirits; a reluctance of sorts to leave the castle behind, going home in his uniform gave him enough confidence to leave.

His mother, she imagined, would be dressed in a quilted robe, fraying at the ends, maybe a few lopsided curlers twirled in badly dyed hair, a cigarette hanging loosely from her lips as she shuffled around the house in a hypnotic state, eyes sunken in and dark from hours of trying to remember why she went into a room and not finding an answer. A wand, broken, held carelessly in a hand that sputtered and sparked as she tried to clean up pots and pans that were stacked high in the kitchen sink.

His father, Hermione could see an overweight and drunken blob snoring in front of a TV set, a greasy and sweaty tank top, stained a yellow shade of white from days of not changing, a cheap yellow chain around his neck, a fake Rolex falling off his wrist, the tabletops around him piled high with food wrappers and empty beer cans, ashtrays that were fully beyond their limits. Every once in a while, Hermione imagined him waking up with a snort and yelling lazily for his wife to get him another 'cold one,' focusing in and out on the television while he fought lethargy.

The parents she thought up seemed to fit Severus, the kind that would have forgotten his existence and abused his need for things that would help him grow, poor and empty, causing him to lose himself in studying and school if only to make a better life for himself.

She thought about his house, what walls would surround her for the next few weeks, and quickly thought up peeling wallpaper, a few holes that needed patching. Carpets stained and in dire need of a good vacuuming. It seemed small to her, just as broken as his parents, weeds and dirt taking over the yard, bushes overgrown, a cracked cement walkway that led from a rusting gate to their front door, of which was falling off its hinges. The screen door not even a door, more of a decoration placed aside, having fallen from its support a long time ago, resting against splintery wood shingles of the house.

Orange. The lights in the house that worked were flickering in a few rooms, a sickly shade of orange. Severus's room tiny and cramped, a squeaky bed and dusty mattress with a lopsided desk, but he'd have books crammed into every available space. A window fan on its last legs trying hard to move air through the room, blowing around a chain that turned on his only light in the middle of his ceiling.

Yes, that seemed about right, and it hurt thinking about it, but was unable to quit. By the time the train pulled into Kings Cross she had made up her mind that, along with her own things to do, she'd spend her winter break assisting and fixing all she could to make the house livable and at least make his mother beautiful again.

Gathering together what little belongings she had managed to get through the weeks at Hogwarts, she followed Severus off the train and onto the platform, scanning all the people around them to see if she could see the people she thought up standing there waiting for them, and almost lost Severus in the rush of greetings. Hurrying to catch up, she continued following him into the Muggle world and out of the station to the curbside where Severus hailed a cab.

"Your parents aren't greeting us?" Hermione asked as she scooted across the backseat to make room for Severus. He shook his head, telling the driver his address then turned to Hermione.

"They never do. Quite normal." He explained not seeming bothered by it, adjusting his own suitcase between his legs as the cab took off.

"Did you let them know I was coming?" She asked and Severus nodded.

"I sent an owl last night before bed."

The cab took them down streets Hermione hadn't been before and a few she only recognized by a shop or two that her mother had taken her to when she was young. The city soon grew dark, separate neighborhoods of houses gave way to row homes, and the air grew murkier. Severus stopped the cab at the end of a block, handed him some money, and tugged Hermione out of the car. She had expected some kind of squalor, but did not imagine a block of it. She watched the cab drive away, shouldered her belongings, and followed Severus down the street, letting him lead the way until he stopped and turned to a doorway of one of the identical row houses, sighing.

"Here it is." He said. "Home."

No screen door, no weeds in a yard-as there was no yard to begin with-just a looming brick building that appeared on the outside more like a prison than anything. She followed him through the door, and was pleasantly surprised to see an inside that had been well kept, though still dark as it was lit only by candlelight. He began to lead her to a staircase, but they did not get far as a woman called out to him from beyond the living room they passed upon entering. Severus stopped, winced, and turned slowly.

"Severus!" The woman, dark eyes under thick eyebrows stared at them and Hermione could see where Severus got his stare from, was putting on an earring and adorning the outside of her wrist that faced them was a small star tattoo, she was tall and too skinny, slightly hunched. Her black, shiny hair was pulled back into a fancy twist, she had on a darkly colorful airy blouse tucked into a high waisted, simple black skirt that hugged her curves and showed off long legs that ended in a pair of matte stilettos.

"Hello, mother." Severus greeted. The woman smiled lightly flashing her eyes to Hermione, her hand dropping from her ear.

"You must be the young lady Severus wrote about. I'm Eileen." She didn't move to shake her hand, or even gave off an impression that she wanted to greet her son further in any way. "It's great to have you, please make yourself at home. Severus, I have to run out. Your father's at work, we'll both be home late." She grabbed behind the wall, pulling a small, black clutch from behind it, tucked it under her arm and kissed the air at him. They watched her leave and Hermione heard a breath being let out of Severus, long and slow.

"She seems nice." Hermione said, following Severus up the stairs and into a narrow hallway.

"She's not too bad." He agreed. "Always busy, though." He guided her into a room she took as his, candles burst in to life as he entered, the furniture in good condition, no squeaky window fan, no lopsided desk. For the most part, it looked like any other room she had ever been in, one that belonged to a normal teenaged boy. Severus pushed his luggage next to the wall and led her back out into the hallway, opening the door next to his and showed her in.

"The guest room. Sheets should be fresh, the window sticks a bit if you open it, just give it some elbow grease and it'll open fully." He let Hermione discard her bag, then took her down the hall introducing her to his parents room and the bathroom, the toilet room, then ended the grand tour downstairs with the library, living room and kitchen. The whole house small, but far beyond her expectations, her shock not also going unnoticed by Severus.

"Expected something different?" He asked bluntly and Hermione pressed her lips together in guilt. Severus smirked.

"I'm sorry." She said. "Your family and personal life was never known in my time and I only guessed what it could have been like for you."

"I'm sure you're not the only one."

Hermione looked around the living room, shelves on the walls filled with a few books and picture frames that were not magic by any means. Most of them were of an elderly couple, placed around an urn of tarnished silver. She pouted slightly, and then looked back to the kitchen.

"What does your mother do?" She asked.

"I'm not exactly sure." Severus answered blankly. "I've come to believe she doesn't work, actually. Spends most of her time in company of other well-to-doers, I prefer not to ask."

"And your father?"

"Real estate." He answered quickly. "He sells all over the country."

"Impressive." Hermione's eyebrows lifted. "Forgive me for saying this, but it's not at all what I expected. Better than what I could have guessed."

"Picture perfect family." Severus added, then shook his head. "Only to outsiders, I'm afraid. Their two loves in this world are money and fighting...by the way, don't be alarmed if you hear them going off in the middle of the night."

"Oh."

"And I wouldn't try stopping them either." He gave a direct and pointed look to Hermione who looked away quickly.

"Go easy on the magic around him." Severus added. "He's a stubborn muggle there if there ever was one, though he appreciates its properties of cleaning quickly, anything else sets him off."

Hermione imagined a slave driver, calling Eileen and Severus to his side and pointing out places in the house that needed cleaning, demanding it from his family who looked eerily akin to Harry's Uncle Vernon.

"That's horrible." She said. Severus shrugged.

"Unless it's beneficial to him, he will do all he can to not allow it."

"Beneficial?"

"If it doesn't earn him money or makes his life easier, he doesn't care about it. I think it's the biggest reason they fight all the time, he sees my mother and me as nothing more than an inconvenience."

"Why doesn't your mother leave?" Hermione asked carefully, but sincerely.

"She couldn't make it on her own." Severus said. "Her family disowned her after the marriage, all she's known is how to depend on my father to survive. As much as my father resents her, I have a feeling if she left he'd make life harder for her."

"And if you stayed, you'd probably end up taking most of that backlash." Hermione said, finishing his sentence. Severus remained quiet.

"Hungry?" He said, if only to change the subject. "I figured we can eat and then go check on Lily while it's still early."

Hermione agreed, though the sun was setting, Lily's disappearance from the school for the past week had concerned her and knew it would cheer Severus up from having to return home.


	15. Chapter 15

Severus had grabbed Hermione's arm and stopped her from walking. They stood together, staring down the road, looking at one house in particular that seemed to have exploded from the inside. The roof was no longer there and the front of it was gone as well, leaving a gaping hole exposing the inside and wires and what was left of the floors. It took nothing more than a look to Severus to know this was Lily's house, and Hermione ran next to him to get there after he had spotted movement inside of it. Severus was quick to climb over debris that scattered in the lawn, going up to the house and climbed through what was once a doorway.

"Lily!" He called, tripping over boards, rushing to get to the red-headed girl who had been in a part of the disaster Hermione guessed was a living room. Lily looked up at Severus and tried to smile, but it failed to resemble anything like one. She looked at Hermione, then around her at a loss for much of a greeting.

"What happened?" Severus asked as he approached her further and Lily shook her head.

"They said it was an explosion caused by a leaky gas line." Her voice was rough, her to whisper it so as not to break what sound she could make any further.

"Merlin." Severus let out one long, hefty sigh and reached for her, but she took a step back. "I'm so sorry." He said, sounding sincere, yet hurt.

"This is horrible." Hermione agreed, surveying what was once a room, no longer recognizable as one. "We didn't know, or we'd have come sooner."

"I only found out about this-" Lily held her hands out to motion about the remains, "-yesterday."

"Your family?" Severus asked and Lily immediately but her lip, her eyes beginning to shine with tears.

"Tuney's still alive." She said as if it was good news. "My parent's..." and then she collapsed, shaking. Severus and Hermione exchanged a quick glance understanding the horrible outcome without her having to say it, and Severus quickly knelt beside her to reach for her again, but she slapped his hands away.

"Don't touch me!" She said, giving into a few hiccups as she held back a couple of cries. Hermione knelt by Severus, a hand on his shoulder.

"We're truly sorry." Hermione said. "And we can't even begin to imagine how this must be for you. But we are here for you if you need us."

Lily nodded in understanding, her eyes now red, her cheeks quickly growing to match, and Hermione tugged slightly on Severus's shoulder. "Can I speak with you for a second?" And she stood, leading them away from Lily to the front of the house.

"I just wanted to offer a hug." Severus said quickly.

"I know." Hermione said. "You did nothing wrong."

"Then why..." He dropped his head and took in a deep breath. Hermione felt bad for him, knowing that he meant good.

"It may be sensory overload." She said gently. "This is quite a shock, I can understand that she feels a need to be left alone, but there is another possibility."

Severus raised his head and Hermione continued.

"A gas explosion would have done more, wouldn't you think? I'm not seeing any scorch marks or signs of fire, not to mention half of the house is still standing, which is quite unusual..."

Severus narrowed his eyes then looked around. Hermione caught a glimpse of understanding forming.

"This was caused by magic?" Severus whispered and Hermione nodded.

"I have a feeling that is more likely."

"But how? Who could have done this?"

"That I do not know, but I have a feeling You-Know-Who may have something to do with it."

"But Lily, her family, they haven't done anything to cause this-"

"-not yet anyway." Hermione muttered. "Look, it's just assumption right now, anyone could have caused this and I think it's best if we just-"

"-YOU!" There was a shrill scream that came from the other side of the rubble. Severus and Hermione both looked over to see a skinny, sour faced lady standing at the far side of the room near what was once a staircase.

"You!" She hissed again, a bony finger raised and she was shaking it at Severus, completely ignoring Hermione. "What are you doing here?"

"In the neighborhood, decided to drop by." Severus answered coldly. It didn't take much guessing on Hermione's part to suspect that the lady in front of them was Petunia and when Lily rose to her feet, stepping in front of Lily to keep her from advancing, the likeness of the two was unsurpassable. Petunia's nose wrinkled heavily, Lily fighting with her to keep her back.

"You can leave now." She ordered. "You're not welcome here."

"Tuney." Lily said, but Petunia didn't pay her any attention.

"We only wanted to see Lily and didn't expect to see this." Hermione said. Petunia took notice of her just then and stopped fighting to get past Lily, her arms crossing.

"And who are you, exactly?" She asked, snidely.

"Hermione." She said. "And we're very sorry to hear about-"

"Another freak? Is this what we're to become now? A gathering place for your kind to point your fingers and stick your noses?" Petunia's lip quivered but she pulled it taught.

"You're the only one here unable to work a wand, looks like the only freak here is you." Severus said, Hermione winced. Petunia began to shake slightly and she looked about ready to go off had it not been for Lily, who had whipped around, anger in place of her sadness.

"My sister is not a freak." She breathed. "You take that back."

Severus, torn between glaring at Petunia and showing concern for Lily, could do nothing more but stand there, sneering. Lily stepped toward him.

"Please leave." Lily asked, pointing to the front of the house. Severus lost his sneer.

"Lily." He said. She shook her head.

"Just go, Severus."

"Lily, I..."

Hermione grabbed his elbow gently. It took no effort to pull him away and over the rubble they climbed over to lead him out of the house.

The walk back to Spinners End was long and quiet except for the sound of a rock scuttling across the street that Severus had kicked along since they left with his hands shoved in the pockets of his pants.

"I'm sorry, Severus." Hermione spoke softly, wanting to comfort him as much as she could, but not knowing how to.

"It just doesn't make sense." He answered back. "If that was an attack by the Dark Lord, why them?"

"Because they're Muggle." Hermione answered.

"But they aren't much of a threat." Severus defended. Hermione sighed.

"They are in the future."

"Oh, right. Henry."

"Harry." She corrected. "Maybe he found out about them and wanted to act quickly to prevent it from happening at all?"

"But how would he find out about it? From all I know, The Evans kept to themselves, didn't let on that they had a witch in the family to anyone."

"Anyone could have done it. Not necessarily Death Eaters, or Voldemort himself."

"Know what I think?" Severus kicked his rock one final time and it careened sharply to the left, landing in the lawn of someone's home. "I think it's because you couldn't keep your mouth shut of the future and news got around."

Hermione looked at him sternly, wanting to grow angry at him but knew it was not the time nor place to draw any unwanted attention.

"Only you, Dumbledore, and the Marauders know. Dumbledore would take my secret with him to his grave, James and his friends are dumb, but I don't think they're dumb enough to believe anyone would think they're telling the truth if they did tell anyone, but you on the other hand."

"What about me?" Severus growled. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Still thinking of joining them?" She asked. "Information like this would be sure to get you a successful spot."

"If you think for one second that I would deliberately volunteer this information-"

"-you did once! It's how Lily got killed, you speaking before thinking-"

"-For Merlin's sake, Hermione. Who's side are you on? You've been with me, at Hogwarts this whole time!"

Hermione huffed, looked away from him. He breathed deeply a few times.

"When you told me Lily gets killed by them I decided not to join them." Severus said. "She's been asking me to step away from the dark arts and I figured if I didn't join, if she knew that I turned them down that maybe we'd be able to have a chance, and you telling me it would be a mistake...I'm sorry that I blamed you for this, though I still think James has something to do with it."

"You're really not joining?" Hermione asked hopefully. Severus took a moment to consider her before he shook his head.

"No."

She smiled.


	16. Chapter 16

She had toyed with the thought of entering the Ministry, but the idea of having to fill out visitor information and coming up with a believable reason for her to be there made the decision to wait outside much more appetizing. Keeping herself studious in watching the entrance had been challenging enough as sitting in one spot in the cold, watching one door for hours would have been hard enough for anybody, she found herself wondering if Arthur would even be there, if he'd even use the door at all. She hadn't been there to watch all those arriving, so it was up in the air to know if he'd leave just the same. Still, she sat on the cold, hard ground and watched until her eyes were heavy with sleepiness and yawned only to keep herself awake.

Her waiting paid off, when surrounded by a few other wizards exiting from the door she watched chatted with the unmistakable guy with red hair. He had been thinner than she last saw him, but looked happy and healthy. She rose to her feet, watching as one of the Wizards said something funny, burst out laughing, and smacked Arthur's shoulder hard enough to lurch him forward. Arthur laughed too, grabbing and massaging his shoulder from the pain, but continued to trail behind.

"Me. Weasley?" Hermione said as she neared. Arthur stopped and turned, quizzically looking at her, and she smiled, extending a hand.

"My name is Hermione Granger. May I speak with you for a moment?"

At her name, there was recognition. Arthur lifted his eyebrows and nodded, wishing the group he came out with to have a good lunch without him.

"I didn't think Dumbledore would allow you to visit me." He said carefully, watching as the last of his group rounded the corner then lead Hermione onto a more quiet street.

"He doesn't exactly know I'm here." Hermione said. "It's winter break at school, He knew I'd left the castle to spend it with a classmate, but I decided to break a few rules to find out for myself exactly what's going on."

"It's frustrating, I know, but being out and about isn't exactly the safest place for you to be right now." He said in a fatherly tone, one Hermione was used to hearing come from him.

"I'm not exactly told much." She said. "It would be a great comfort to hear something coming from you, even if it is nothing."

Arthur looked her up and down quickly, tilting his head.

"How exactly do you know me?" He asked, and Hermione shook her head.

"I'd rather not say." She said, though she could feel her mind scream out the truth. It had been unfair to let other people know a few things, but this was her father-in-law. One of the greatest men she knew, and could not take that chance to ruin it. Arthur nodded simply and scratched his head.

"What can I tell you?" He asked, rhetorically. "I haven't found much of anything, but I have been looking. A request from Dumbledore isn't taken lightly and your predicament is one of emergent nature."

"You haven't found anything? Anything at all? No clocks or timepieces of the questionable sort?"

Arthur genuinely went into thought and shook his head when he finished.

"We've confiscated a pogo stick that was charmed to only bounce up while a person was on it and a stapler that would only staple fingers, but no clocks or timepieces." He looked at her apologetically. "You're sure it's a clock?" He asked.

"I touched one to get here." She answered. "It was a mantle clock, mahogany wood with Celtic knots, gold numbers, pearl faceplate. Really can't forget it."

"Right." He said. "I'll continue to look, then." The words came out of him heavily. Hermione tried her best to look hopeful, but could only manage a small nod of her head.

"I'll let you get back to your afternoon." She said, waving him off and returned to Spinners End feeling exhausted.

...

"...it's all very interesting, even Bellatrix says she wouldn't be surprised if it ended up that way."

Severus's bedroom door was partially open, the voice coming from it caught Hermione's attention immediately, recognizing it at soon as she paused to listen, and when she knocked lightly, pushing the door open, Draco Malfoy had been the last person she expected to see sitting on Severus's bed, Severus on the floor his back against the wall. Her eyes grew wide, whispering a harsh 'Malfoy,' and before she could exclaim further surprise, Severus jumped to his feet.

"Hermione!" He sounded just as shocked to see her back so soon, but there was a look in his eye that told her to say nothing. He beckoned her in, Draco watching her curiously, closely.

"I didn't expect you back until later." He motioned to the young man on the bed. "I'd like you to meet Lucius."

A spitting image of Draco-or the other way around now-at his age, she had to work her nerves down before she could link Lucius to Severus and understand why he was there. They knew each other, Lucius having been in his last years at Hogwarts when Severus had started and his interest in the dark arts would only cause a natural friendship to form between them.

"Lucius, this is Hermione, the girl I mentioned earlier." Severus concluded his introduction and Lucius formed a warm smile.

"It's nice to finally connect a face to the name." He said.

"Likewise." Hermione said, and noticed that her voice hadn't caught up with her mouth, cleared her throat, and tried again. "Likewise." She said more confidentially and looked to Severus, wanting to ask him why he was there, and Severus pulled his lips back.

"Lucius was just telling me that the Dark Lord has accepted a few new followers that are quite curious."

"Oh." Hermione tried her best to act like this kind of talk was of not much importance, resisting the urge to begin asking the questions that filled her mind. Lucius scooted himself closer to the edge of the bed, leaning into them as much as he could.

"Severus has told me you're very intelligent, a...Gryffindor, is that correct?"

"Yes." Hermione answered.

"Mistakenly placed in Gryffindor." Severus added. "I dare say Ravenclaw is more deserving."

"The sorting hat actually considered placing me in that house." She explained quietly. Lucius chuckled.

"And you asked for the lions share." He finished. Hermione blushed slightly and shrugged.

"Blue and bronze aren't exactly my colors." She joked, pulling an even deeper chuckle from Lucius.

"You've wit enough, that's evident, but I agree, no Ravenclaw would be brave enough to joke about others' houses. Now tell me, where do you stand when it comes to politics today?"

Lucius tilted his head back, narrowing his eyes expectantly. Hermione stole a glance to Severus who was giving her that look again before he quickly rolled his eyes away so as not to get caught. Hermione understood immediately the meaning, but also wasn't naive enough to tell Lucius Malfoy her real thoughts.

"I'm enthralled with the prospects of purity." She said smugly although the words seared her throat. "There might be some good in it."

"Might be? There's only good. We've already mingled with the weakest links for too long, they need to be smothered, blinked out of existence so that the future can resume in strength and purity."

Hermione's fists were so tightly balled at her sides they hurt. Severus was watching her out of the corner of his eye, also growing slightly rigid as he listened.

"I wouldn't say they're the weakest links, after all, magic blood is precious."

"Precious indeed, and they will continue to infest and whither out our breed, we'll soon be extinct at the rate it's going."

A thought occurred to Hermione just then; Lucius thought her a full blood. Severus must have hid the fact that she was Muggle born from him.

"Pity." She shook her head slowly, Lucius tightly lipped an agreeing smile and stood, turning to Severus.

"Please reconsider your choice. The Dark Lord will not be happy to hear you won't join his army. Miss Granger, it was a pleasure to meet you." He said and then brushed past them as he exited the room, a 'pop' sounding outside the door as he apparated away. Hermione quickly turned to Severus.

"I wasn't expecting him to be here, he stopped by unannounced." He explained quickly.

"You told him you aren't joining?" Hermione asked. Severus only nodded solemnly.

"He wasn't pleased, and I dare say the Dark Lord won't be either when Lucius returns empty handed."

"They still have your support, obviously. That has to account for something." Hermione pointed out and Severus sighed.

"Support can only get you so far. Not accepting his offer to join him, in his eyes, is a kind of defiance. It should be an honor, one you take immediately."

"Are you going to reconsider?" She asked. He stared at her hard, she could tell he was considering the choice and thinking it over. He walked over to his window without giving an answer and stood staring into the direction that Lily lived, Hermione soon joined him.

"Lucius has a son in the future, Draco Malfoy. During Hogwarts he was our sworn enemy, always causing trouble for us as much as we were for him." She smiled fondly as she remembered. "Looks exactly like him."

Severus remained staring into the distance. He looked like he was listening, but also like he wanted to ignore everything she was saying. She turned her back to the window, leaning on it, crossing her arms over her chest.

"In the second wizarding war, your Dark Lord had ordered Draco to kill Dumbledore. Narcissa feared for him and came to you, asking for help and you made an unbreakable vow to take over the task should Draco fail." She turned her head just slightly to look at Severus and he had been watching her, his chin tucked slight under his head, hair falling forward to mask most of his face.

"I kill him." Severus guessed lowly. Hermione took in a shaky breath and he growled, pushing away from the window, and paced the floor.

"I beg of you to not join them, Severus. Even in the future I was able to tell you resented the choice. Spend your time fighting for the right things, not hiding to do them in secret."

"What for?" Severus let out a strained chuckle. "All you tell me about the future, they all die, all by me. Maybe I should just do the world a favor and-"

"-Stop." Hermione ordered, watching as he moved back and forth through his room. "Make that change. If there's anything you take away from me being here and sharing with you these things, make this be it."

"There's no certainty I can."

"I know you can. I know you're capable of fighting and of loving. It may sound like just words, but those are powerful assets to have and you need to use them."

Severus stopped pacing. He glanced just beyond Hermione's shoulder.

"I just wish there was a way to hide them." His hand flew up to the window a finger pointing in Lily's direction. "If they only had a way to get out of there, a way for them to escape, to vanish, they'd still be alive. Lily would have her home, her family."

"To vanish." Hermione said, the words soft on her lips, her eyes springing open. "A vanishing cabinet."

"Exactly. If they only had one of those in their living room-"

"-maybe I've been looking at this all wrong." Hermione didn't mean to cut him off, she didn't notice she had. Her arms unfolded, one hand going to her forehead where she pushed back a handful of hair so tightly it lifted her forehead for her.

"What?" Severus asked and Hermione bit her lip as she thought.

"Maybe my time turner isn't exactly all time. What if the thing I touched simply took the person and placed them elsewhere, like a vanishing cabinet?" Her jaw was dropping open slowly. "I need to owl Arthur." She breathed, leaving the room to do just that, not noticing Severus watching her go, the corners of his mouth drawing down into a pout.


	17. Chapter 17

Usually on Christmas Eve, she and Ron would be fast asleep at The Burrow, surrounded by friends and family alike, growing used to the amazing smell of turkey cooking throughout the night, Molly and Arthur usually staying up a little later than the rest of the household to cuddle in front of the fireplace. Harry and Ginny, George, Bill, Percy, even the ghost in the attic all content to be under one roof. This would be her first Christmas Eve in years spent alone, without family, and the thought of that only kept her awake, tossing and turning. Maybe she should have remained at the castle. At least it would have been easier to bear the feeling, trick herself into believing she actually was fifteen again and was just staying the holiday there instead of going home.

One thing was for certain, the sounds of fighting wouldn't have had to be heard. Eileen and Tobias were going at it, their voices loud enough to make it past the walls and through her door, though the words were nothing but muffled vowels it didn't sound like Christmas Eve. It had been shattering glass that woke her from what little sleep she did manage, and then curiosity kept her awake. Twenty minutes into it, Hermione sat up staring into nothing but the corner of her room. Severus had warned her that they may fight and she surprised herself in being able to ignore any want to get involved. She heard the floorboards creak across the hallway from Severus's room, followed shortly by thumps on the rooftop above her bed.

She found her shoes, slipping them on without socks, threw a robe on, and as quietly as she could, left her room. She knocked a few times on Severus's door, pushing it open when there was no answer. His room was empty, but his window was open, the cold air causing her to shiver some. She walked to it, sticking her head out of it and turned to look up at the roof. There was a drain providing a way up, in the form of a ladder by the brackets holding it onto the side of the house, and she was soon lifting herself onto the windowsill, climbing the few steps it took and lifted herself onto the roof.

A Severus shaped silhouette sat on the top of the divide next to the chimney and carefully she worked her way over, drawing her robe tightly around her. He didn't acknowledge her when she lowered herself beside him, but was looking at the sky, dreamily. She joined him in admiring the silvery bits of clouds that appeared even more pristine in the frigid sky, the stars tightly packed above them, the frozen silence only a winter night could bring all around them. It really was peaceful.

"Did they wake you?" He asked softly.

"No, not really." She answered. She could feel him looking at her, but she continued to gaze into the stars.

"I'm sorry." She said. "It can't be easy hearing your parents fight."

"I'm used to it." It sounded dull, like something he had gotten used to saying, scripted.

"I highly doubt it's something one can get used to." She'd only ever heard her parents fight once and for the rest of the week, although she had no part in it, felt like she was walking on eggshells around either of them, she couldn't help but feel guilty, even after they had made up she couldn't shake the feeling fully. She couldn't imagine having to endure anymore than that.

"I've learned to ignore it." Severus shrugged. "The roof and I have become best friends."

Hermione smiled sadly at his remark. "It is beautiful." She said, at least in that moment while it was dark and the rattiness of the neighborhood could be hidden from view in the shadows made it so.

"It can be." Severus agreed. "Most of the time it's uncomfortable and lonely." He added on with a bit of amusement.

"At least I'm here to keep you company." She grinned, tearing her eyes away from the sky to see Severus smirk. He studied her for a second, the smirk slowly fading away, his black eyes shining like icicles.

"What?" Hermione asked and Severus seemed hesitant to answer. Puffs of breath pushed from him, hovering for a moment between them before fading off.

"You should be home." He said. "You should be with your family, not here freezing your arse off with me on a rooftop." He gave her a pointed look, daring her to disagree.

"I'm not freezing." Hermione said, trying her hardest to stave off the shivers that had started back when she entered his room. It didn't work, Severus gave her a pathetic look and the raised an arm and placed it around her pulling her closer. She stiffened at his touch, but he was warm and soon melted a bit into him, giving into resting her head lightly on his shoulder. His breathing was slow, calm.

"You really want to leave?" He asked. Hermione sucked in a breath.

"I belong in another time." She answered, feeling bad for giving him an answer he didn't want to hear. He didn't protest, but his grip grew slightly tighter around her.

...

Tobias was an older man, but ruggedly handsome. His jaw was sharp, his stare, like Severus's captured Hermione the moment she made her way down the stairs, and held onto her as she worked her way to an empty seat at the kitchen table, already filled with Eileen and Severus.

"Good morning. Merry Christmas." She greeted them, taking the plate of bacon Severus had passed her. Tobias grumbled, his eyes finally releasing her and replaced themselves on his plate.

"Sleep well?" Eileen asked and Hermione nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

After leaving the rooftop and found the house silenced, Hermione was able to fall into a light sleep, warming up gradually under the covers. It was the smell of breakfast that had woken her and summoned her downstairs.

"Well now, since we're all up." Eileen stood, disappearing from the kitchen for a moment, returning with a box wrapped in fading paper, visible crease marks giving away that the paper had been used over and over again. She placed the box in Severus's lap, kissing his head, to which Severus sneered, then pulled his lips down tightly, looking very uncomfortable and stared at the box like it was going to bite him. Hermione felt very misplaced as well and somehow sorry for him. Tobias, brushing his fingers together over his plate, leaned back in his chair and rubbed his mouth with his napkin.

"Go ahead, son." He said. "Open it."

Severus pushed his chair back, grabbed the package like a soiled sock, and began to loosen the edges of the paper delicately. Hermione could have guessed that tearing the paper, as used as it looked, would have brought anger to the family. The box under the paper was whiter than snow, and an insignia of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions glittered in bright gold on the top. Severus ran his finger over the embossed emblem, glancing up to his mother and father curiously before lifting the top. Folded neatly inside was a new set of school robes, some parchment and a quill.

"I hope they fit. You've grown since you left." Eileen said softly.

"They better fit." Tobias stated. "We don't have time to be running around-"

"Tobias." Eileen whispered pleadingly. She glanced at Hermione who concentrated harder on watching Severus, wondering if the fight during the night she had heard had anything to do with the robes. Tobias grunted, but relented and didn't continue. Severus looked pained as he placed the box aside.

"Thank you." He muttered, trying his best to appear thankful, though he still looked uncomfortable. Eileen handed Hermione a package. Shocked, she took it. It weighed next to nothing and was long and cylindrical in shape, wrapped in a bit of the same fading and creased paper. Now it was her turn to feel uncomfortable.

"I feel horrible." Hermione said, weighing her present in her hands. "I didn't get anything for-"

"-don't you worry about that." Eileen said as she settled back down in her seat.

"It isn't from us." Tobias explained. "It came for you this morning."

Eileen shot him a look of disapproval and Hermione, curious to its contents, found the edge of the wrapping paper and opened it, giving as much care to not tearing it as Severus had shown. It was a rolled up piece of parchment, a letter addressed to her. Unrolling it, she recognized Arthur Weasley's handwriting at once.

'Miss Granger,

I hope this letter finds you well and you're enjoying your holiday. I would have sent this to await you at Hogwarts, in the care of Albus, but with a fortnight still until you return, letting you know now may expedite your task of returning home. Please find enclosed information on a possible lead I have uncovered. I haven't been able to check out this person of interest personally, but I'm under the impression you are capable of responsibly undergoing this task for yourself.

Best Wishes,

Arthur Weasley'

Letting the words sink in, she grew constantly more excited, reading over the name and address provided until they were memorized, only noticing that everyone at the table had been watching her closely when she looked up.

"It's great news." She said, standing quickly. "Please excuse me." Without hesitation, she turned from the table, ran up the stairs so fast she nearly tripped, and collected her clothes.

"What is it?" Severus was in the doorway."

"Arthur found him." She said, pushing the letter into his hand and pushed past him, disappearing into the bathroom to change. When she emerged dressed and brushed, Severus was still standing in her doorway.

"You're going now?" He asked and Hermione nodded.

"The sooner I can talk with him-" She stopped herself from finishing the sentence. Severus hung his head, reading the letter again, his hair hiding his face, a look of disappointment she knew was underneath. "I'm sorry, Severus." She said.

"It's okay." He said, sighing. "I just didn't expect this so soon." He held the letter out to her and she took it.

"It's only a lead." She said gently. Severus nodded understandingly.

"Five minutes." He said. Hermione's forehead wrinkles. "Give me five minutes and I'll come with you."


	18. Chapter 18

Lovel Stemm lived in a solitary, foreboding house at the edge of a forest near a frozen river. The sky was grey, a coating of clouds successfully covering the sky and hiding any sunlight they had while traveling there, dropping the temperature quite a bit in what little time it had taken. Hermione stood on the front doorstep, knuckles rapping against a splintered door, and they listened.

The coldness of the air stilled everything around them, and Severus rocked slowly on his feet, looking around them. Hermione knocked again, and brought the fist to her lips to breathe some warm air on her exposed fingers; she had left in such a hurry, she forgot her gloves.

"I don't think he's home." Severus peered through a few murky windows, cupping his hands around his eyes to see, but it didn't help. The grime on the windows had been so thick it produced a natural curtain, blocking his view of the inside. Hermione blew a puff of air out of her nose and wrapped her arms around her self, turning in spot.

"We can come back later?" Severus stood next to Hermione and she buried her chin up to her nose in the scarf she had wrapped around her neck, giving Severus a cold look. He shrugged. "Only a suggestion."

A creak caused them to turn around, and for a split second they saw a partial face in a crack of the door that had been pulled open.

"No solicitors!" A raspy old voice said, and the door slammed shut. Hermione took a quick step up to the door and knocked again.

"Mr. Stemm?" She asked, the knocks pausing only a second before starting again. "Mr. Stemm, I'm Hermione Granger. I'm sorry if I'm intruding, but I got your address from Arthur Weasley with the Ministry. I need to speak with you." Speaking to a wooden door felt silly, she wasn't even sure if he was listening or if he could hear her. She stopped knocking and took a step back, raising on her toes as if getting a better vantage point would help her see if he was still at the door. She nibbled her lip.

"Mr. Stemm?" She called again. Severus was beside her again, staring at the door with her. They were both surprised when it freaked opened again, slowly, and the face appeared once more in the crack.

"Arthur, you say?"

His eyes were sunken and dark, holding curiosity yet suspicion within them as was evident by the thick bushy eyebrows that lifted above them. His nose, which stuck out of the door by a good inch, was crooked and bony, sprouting a wiry mustache underneath so long it hid his mouth. It couldn't hide a couple of rotting teeth that poked through, a matching beard covered his chin. Hermione put on her friendliest smile.

"Yes. He said you can help me."

Lovel's beard shook, he was soundlessly moving his mouth, and then managed to get out a wheezy "go away," and slammed the door closed again. A sigh escaped Hermione and Severus began to wish to leave, but she was up at the door again, knocking.

"It's about time travel. You're the only one that could possibly help me. Please. Please hel-". She gasped, the door had been yanked open fully this time, drawing her breath with it. "-help." She said, finishing her sentence in a state of awe. Lovel Stemm was two heads shorter than her, a walking skeleton she was sure had it not been for the clothes that hung off his body like laundry on a clothesline. One of his eyes was narrowed so much it appeared closed, while the other was open wide enough she was surprised it wasn't bulging out of his head. He turned, an arm waving her in as he walked inside. Sending a nervous look to Severus, he nodded and gripped her arm, giving her a slight push to help her inside.

They followed him through the house, lit by electricity, but the aging light bulbs threatened to give out. He was mumbling to himself incoherent words as he led them through a hallway stacked high with aging newspapers; The Daily Prophet that had to of been a century old, past a doorway that when Hermione peered into it saw a mass of objects that looked like one huge and solid pile of junk that caused mountains and valleys right there in the room.

They were brought into a kitchen, relatively clean compared to the rest of the house, and cleared off the kitchen table with one swoop of his arm, the stacked plates and dirty kettles on it disappearing into thin air. When he turned around, his eyes still squinted and bulged, a tongue licking at the corners of his beard before his lips gave a tremor, bidding them to take a seat as he took his. They sat across from him.

"Tea?" He asked, and once more waved his hand, a rattling and unsteady tea tray appeared from the hallway, floating in through the door, and lowered to the table. Before they could answer he had poured three cups and handed them out. Hermione pulled hers close to her, but didn't take a drink, the tea that had poured out smelled putrid, and Severus had choked on his when it touched his lips.

"Thank you for seeing us. I hope we aren't interrupting-"

"-Nonsense." Lovel's bulging eye deepened at Hermione. "Any talk of time travel is always worth interruption."

"Had much experience with it, then? Or just an interest?" Severus asked and Lovel huffed.

"I've had a fair share of failures. More than I'd like to admit."

"And successes?" Hermione asked, to which Lovel let out a breath of raspy air, a form of a laugh.

"I couldn't tell you." He answered.

"Why not?"

"Because success demands proof." Lovel took his teacup in his spiny fingers and sat back in his chair.

"Exactly what have you...I mean what do you know about time travel?"

"More than the average person, I can guarantee you that." Lovel sipped from his cup. "My family goes back ages associating with the experiments and trials of time turners."

"Your family business." Severus stated, nodding until Lovel's squinty eye rested on him.

"Our family curse." He corrected. "The moment one could control time, the master of all of us, was the moment of our downfall."

"I think it would be freeing, not having to live under the constraints of time." Hermione said. Lovel let out that raspy laugh again, tea threatening to spill over the sides of his cup. His beard and mustache quivered.

"My dear, doesn't everyone?" His face lightened with a hidden smile, his large eye twinkling. "Tell me, what curiosity of time travel brings you to my door?"

"Not so much a curiosity than a conundrum, sir." She shifted forward in her seat. "Arthur Weasley said you might be able to help me."

"What kind of help are you searching for?"

Hermione took in a slow breath and looked at her tea cup while she quickly formed her answer.

"Getting back to my time." She said softly. Lovel wheezed with interest, jaw dropping enough to show the few teeth he had left, his squinty eye opening almost as wide as the other.

"How far are you displaced?" He asked and Hermione quickly did the math in her head, squinting at her tea.

"About thirty years or so." She answered nonchalantly, wincing as Lovel let out a holler of astonishment. "Thirty-one to be exact."

"Thirty-one!" He gasped, choking on his excitement and nearly fell off his chair as he scooted forward.

"Thirty-one." Hermione reiterated with a nod.

"How did it happen?" He put his hands on top of the table, lacing his fingers together, his knobby shoulders waving up and down. "With what did you use to jump back in time?"

"I'm not exactly sure. You see, I've come to expect a clock my father-in-law brought home from work as it's the last thing I remember touching before-"

"-a clock!" Lovel's hands flew to his forehead, smacking his skin hard, Hermione and Severus exchanged glances. "What kind of a clock?"

"Just your average mantle clock...well, average after Arthur took the hex off it."

"No, no hexes were placed on it, at least when it left my hands as far as I'm concerned." Lovel's arms dropped heavily from his face, and he wobbled to his feet and hurried from the room. Hermione looked to Severus who appeared concerned for the man, watching him leave. They heard clattering, things falling and crashing from the hallway and a few moments later Lovel returned with paper rolled under an arm. He placed it down on the table and rolled it out, Hermione stood to join him, looking over his shoulder and nodded as she recognized a blueprint kind of drawing.

"That's it!" She exclaimed, finger pointing at the paper, nearly tapping on it. "That's exactly it!"

"It was the most successful of my creations." Lovel said breathlessly, looking over the ragged drawings, both his eyes now opened to match and seemed to be caught in memories until his eyes squeezed shut and he rocked his way back to his chair. Hermione and Severus exchanged one more look.

"There were others?" Severus asked reaching across the table and pulled the drawing closer to him.

"Of course there were others. You can't expect efficiency on the first go-round, can you?" Lovel's eyes opened slowly, sadly, and matched with Hermione's. "Thirty-one years." He whispered. "I didn't think it made it to the future, let alone made it that far ahead."

"You didn't expect it to work?" Hermione said, shocked at the revelation. Lovel answered with a shake of his head.

"I had a partner, one that was hired to test out our inventions. I sent him through when we were certain of the results, and his correspondence stopped returning shortly after his departure."

"What do you expect happened?" Hermione asked.

"I can't be sure. He advised You-Know-Who had returned, my best guess is the second mirror was destroyed in order to save himself, its the only reasonable answer I can conceive."

They sat, Hermione letting it sink in that the person who had gone through the mirror had been stuck in a world quite different than he was used to, much like what she was experiencing only things had advanced than reversed in technology and whatnot.

"Sir, how do these mirrors work?" She asked after a while. "I mean at first I suspected they operate much like a time Turner, but seeing as I have been sent back so far in the past, it must be a different magic than what I expected."

"Indeed." Lovel studied Hermione, his eye shifting to Severus, then down to the drawing. He leaned forward, the tips of his fingers touching the paper and with a turn of his wrist, was looking at it again, just as before.

"It came from a very insightful accident, I'm afraid. One I was not prepared for, and one my assistant was too bloody dunder-headed to pay attention to catch. The original potion consisted of Velanious Root, a leprechaun tear and essence of time itself, but it was knocked over and mixed with a few vials of ingredients I had on the table next to it. I'm afraid the potion has never been successfully brewed again as I've never been able to reproduce the mixup as it happened."

"That's unfortunate." Severus sighed. Lovel and Hermione rolled their eyes, Hermione pouting.

"Your mirror, there was two of them, correct? Do you still have it?"

"There was two of them." Lovel agreed, nodding.

"Where is it?" She hoped he would stand and ruffle through boxes to find it and produce it, but he only continued to stare at her. He sucked in quite a large lungful of air for his one worded answer.

"No."

She fell back in her chair, her shoulders slumping.

"Where did it go?" Severus asked softly. Lovel reached for his tea and brought it to his lips, blowing on the surface lightly out of habit before taking a sip.

"You'll only think badly of me when I tell you." Lovel mumbled.

"We'll think worse of you if you don't tell us." Severus said through gritted teeth. He looked to Hermione, she was still slumped in her chair watching the drawing of the mirror.

"You have to understand in loosing my assistant, I lost myself. I never meant harm. I never meant for him to get stuck in another time, always meant to bring him back after he could gather the information I was searching for. It was in my selfishness that he got into this mess, and after that I swore to no longer provide any way to sentence another human being to his fate."

"You're guilty, yes, we get it. Where is this other mirror?" Severus seemed to be growing impatient. Lovel heaved another sigh.

"It was worthless without the other mirror, of which I thought had been destroyed. Therefore I had thought it of no use. How foolish of me, I can see that now."

"Where is it?" Severus's eyes were narrowing, the bridge of his nose wrinkling as it did just before he grew angry.

"I gambled it away. Met a giant, I did. Told him it wasn't worth much, but was all I had."

"Giant?" Hermione jumped, "what giant?"

"The one I met in Knockturn Alley. I don't think he a full giant, too short, but he was big enough to be classified as one."

"His name?" Hermione pressed, Lovel shrugged.

"Never asked his name...or maybe I did and just don't remember. Spent a lot of my time then intoxicated." Lovel shrugged again. "Like I said, it was a dark time in my life, one I hope you don't judge me for. The pot was large and I was desperate, please don't think I'll of me."

Hermione was halfway out of her chair before Lovel was finished with his begging. Severus noticed, rising as she did.

"That information is actually quite helpful." She sounded the slightest relieved and gripped her coat tighter around her as she reached out and shook Lovel's hand firmly. The old man stared at her, half worried.

"It is?" He asked and Hermione nodded again.

"I happen to know of a giant that likes to gamble." She pointed to the drawing. "Would you mind terribly if so borrowed this?"

"No." Lovel sounded just as confused as he looked, watching as Hermione voiced her thanks and grabbed the drawing, rolling it up as she stepped away from the table. Severus had to double step to keep up with Hermione as she hurried out of the kitchen and through the hallway. Just on the other side of the door he stopped her.

"You know this giant?" He asked.

"Yes. And you do too." Hermione tried to step off the porch, but Severus held her back.

"I do?"

"Hagrid." Hermione answered, giving up the struggle and fully turned to him. The name dawned on Severus fully and he dropped Hermione's arm.

"And you expect us to catch a ride all the way back to Hogwarts to speak with him, is that the reason for your rushing out of there?"

"We're hot on a trail, Severus. You don't have to come if you don't want to, I can leave from your place if you'd rather."

"How will you pay for a fare?" Severus was chasing Hermione again. "Hermione! Wait just a minute, now."

"I won't have to pay for a fare." Hermione said, slowing her step enough for Severus to catch up.

"You won't?"

"I may be young here, but I can still apparate."

She extended an arm. Severus looked at it like it would shock him if he touched it, but then slowly reached out a hand and took a hold of it, the world swirling away beneath his feet at once.

A/N: Well here's an update for you guys! Thanks for your patience! Nanowrimo has commenced so hopefully I'll be more active...as active as I can get anyway. Revised my application with the managers of the second job I'm looking forward to snagging here, so wish me luck on that!


	19. Chapter 19

A steady billow of smoke coming from the chimney of Hagrid's small hut could be seen rising above the tree tops as they stood at the edge of the Hogwarts property, the gates silently swinging onward to let them enter. Hermione, used to apparating, managed to high step through calf-deep snow without trouble while Severus defied gravity to stay upright, the footprints he left weaving back and fourth until the ground steadied and he walked without a hitch.

The grounds were silent and empty, to be expected on holiday, and the castle seemed to perk up as they drew nearer, a few large banks of wet and heavy snow sliding and dropping from the turrets, an attempt to tidy itself up perhaps until it realized the two students were not headed for its doors. A breeze that suddenly picked up, blowing snow, accompanying them to the small hut. Hermione knocked, Hagrid's grunts were heard through the door and the blast of heat from inside when it opened felt good.

"Wha' d'you want?" His bushy eyebrows veiled half of his large eyes, wary and curious. Hermione offered a friendly smile.

"Merry Christmas, Hagrid." She greeted. "We were hoping you might be able to tell us about an artifact we're looking for. Mind if we come in?"

Hagrid raised an eyebrow, but moved his large form away from the door, giving just enough space for Hermione and Severus to step past him into the tiny shack. It looked the same as she had always seen it, the only thing missing had been the large bloodhound, Fang, to greet her with a slobbery kiss. Hermione pulled the drawing out from her coat and spread it across his table.

"The man we had just seen, about this here, had mentioned loosing this in a gamble to a giant." The palm of her hand tapped the paper lightly, and Hagrid glanced over it gently before sniffing, the hair of his beard waving under his breath, eyes squinting into slits.

"We had hoped you may have been the recipient." She gave a hopeful smile. Hagrid grunted taking large steps to the fireplace where he grabbed at a tea pot he had warming in the fire, doing nothing more with it than lifting it up and replacing it. Hermione sent a glance to Severus who shrugged in return, turning his hands out.

"Yeh spying for the Ministry?" He asked, replacing the kettle for a final time and turned, the floor boards creaking under his weight. "They send you over here ter inquire abou' my settling in? Well I'll have yeh know I'm gettin' along jus fine. Dumbledore trusts me an' tha's all yeh need tee know. I don' wan' no trouble, jus doin' me job like I'm supposed to."

"We're not from the ministry." Hermione pouted wishing Hagrid would have been as approachable as she once knew him. "We're not working with anyone, I promise, we're just curious as to the whereabouts of this artifact."

"Haven't seen it." He answered a little too quickly. "An' if I did, I'd have gotten rid of it."

Hermione pursed her lips. "Gotten rid of it, how?"

Hagrid shrugged and lowered himself into a chair with a thump. He avoided eye contact, picking at his nails.

"Hagrid, this is really important to me." Hermione begged. "I need to find this piece of glass." She could tell by the way he was avoiding eye contact that he had known something about it. Hagrid was horrible at keeping secrets and experience showed that with a little pressure he'd let something slip, just as it did when he told about winning Norbit, his dragon back in her first year, in a gamble.

"Dumbledore doesn't have to know you were gambling if that's what you're scared of. We won't tell him." Severus whispered. Hagrid flashed his eyes to him. Hermione fought the urge to wince at the sudden mention of gambling, biting the corner of her lip hopefully instead. She watched Hagrid's cheeks redden, and he stood again going to the kettle, fiddling with it some more as if anxious for it to start boiling. Her mind was stuck on Norbit, he was watching the kettle in almost the same way, remembering how excited he had been waiting for it to hatch. In fact there was always a sense of secrecy and mild trepidation for any of his animals that he kept or tried hiding.

"Hagrid? I know you may not trust us. These past few years haven't been kind to you, have they?"

He didn't turn around, but she didn't need him to.

"We're your friends, whether you know it or not. We're not trying to hurt you or betray you. We're just after this piece of glass and if you won it, whatever happened is none of our business. We wouldn't judge you for it."

Hagrid turned halfway around, letting his eyes fall on Hermione, then down to her shoes.

"Tha' glass was nothin' but problems." He grunted. "If I hadn't taken it, I wouldn't have bin kicked out o' Hogwarts." He let out a giant sized sniffle, voice quavering. Severus's observation of study turned to confusion and he slowly rolled his head to Hermione who was hiding her own gasp of understanding. She nodded slowly.

"The Chamber of Secrets?" She whispered. "You were set up on that, Hagrid, I know that wasn't your fault."

"Yeh know 'bout tha'?" He looked mortified, confused. Hermione nodded, standing from her chair and approached him. She placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"I know Tom Riddle found out about Aragog and had you out as the heir of Slytherin."

Severus's jaw had fallen open so wide it looked like he could fit one of Hagrid's eyes, that had grown so large into it. Hermione began bouncing a knee as the pieces began to fall together. It wasn't very known how Aragog came to be in Hagrid's possession, but she was willing to put a galleon on something to do with gambling.

"How d'you know-"

"-I'm sure, in time, it will make sense to you, and for that to happen I need to know what you did with the glass."

"I got th' glass in a lot after a long game an' I had no use fer it. I traded it." He was still in awe at Hermione, speaking like a spicier had been turned on. "I was down in Knockturn Alley at the time an' traded it fer Aragog. He was jus' a baby then. So small an' helpless. I couldn't jus' leave'm there."

"I understand."

Hermione smiled, genuinely, her hand patted his arm. She looked to Severus who now had his lips twisted, his eyebrows nearly touching together.

"Thank you, Hagrid." Hermione said. "That is very helpful. You wouldn't happen to remember which store you were at by chance?"

"It's long gone by now. Dunno where it would have gone., the stuff in it an' all."

"You've been a great help." Hermione assured him. "Thank you."

...

Severus and Hermione landed close to Severus's neighborhood where the air felt colder and the smog made it harder to breathe. Severus, still in shock, said nothing until they were close to his block.

"Rumors always pegged him with being the one to open the chamber."

"It was believed to be so up until It was opened again in my time and Harry found the truth."

"Harry." Severus snorted at the name. "Potter's kid is sounding to be more and more of a saint in your time the more I hear about him."

"Well, Harry is-was-would be very important in defeating the Dark Lord. His childhood wasn't exactly a walk in the park."

"Hard to believe." His voice had drowned out, distracted. Hermione had noticed he had been staring just past her shoulder, turning around to see what was so captivating. James Potter was walking along the other side of the street, holding tightly to Lily's hand. She looked worse for wear, and she couldn't blame her. Having left her own parents in a different time, she didn't have to imagine hard what it felt like to have them dead. Lily was blankly staring at the sidewalk just a few steps in front of her feet, eyes glossed over. James had noticed them though, his lips pulling tightly across his face. Hermione reached for Severus's hand, grabbed it tightly, and tugged it.

"Come on. We're almost home." She whispered under her breath. "Let them be."


	20. Chapter 20

"Hermione."

She woke, startled, smacking away hands that shook her and sat up. Severus had been sitting beside her, his wand lifted to provide a soft light that ebbed gently. Confused, but only for a second, she brushed hair away from her face that clung to her in a light sweat.

"You were screaming." Severus said.

"I was?" She asked, although it probably sounded forced. She had dreamed of Ron, that he was standing right in front of her in a field of wildflowers on a perfect summers day, but he did not hear her. He had turned and walked away, and as she called after him he did not respond. She bit back tears that wanted to come and smiled crookedly.

"Bad dream?" Severus asked, and Hermione shrugged.

"I don't remember." She lied, the dream still vivid and replaying in her head. Severus narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't press the matter. Hermione gathered her hair in her hands, pulling it over a shoulder.

"What time is it?" She yawned.

"Just after five."

She glanced to the window, a winter morning still dark behind the blinds.

"Sorry if I woke you." She said, Severus shook his head.

"I was already awake."

"You were?" She noticed that he had been fully dressed, allowing him to blend in with the dark room. He nodded gravely, lowered his wand so his hand now rested on the bed and shifted so he sat sideways.

"Lucius popped over a few hours ago."

"Oh?" The question hung in the air, crowding the space before them and Severus sighed.

"The Dark Lord had an initiation tonight." He mumbled. Hermione's eyes widened, and she lurched forward, grabbing for his arms. He gave little resistance as she pulled up his sleeves, pulling his arms to her, scrutinizing the bare surfaces of both, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

"You didn't join." She said breathlessly, flashing her eyes to his. "You don't have the mark."

"I didn't join." Severus answered. "Not the answer he wanted to hear. Surprised Lucius didn't force me to accompany him."

"Would you have made a different decision if he did?"

Hermione watched Severus lower his head, not so much in shame, but in indecision. She grabbed his left arm again, searching them over once more, letting a finger run over empty, milky space.

"I'm proud of you." She said. "I'm sure Lily will be, too."

He seemed to brighten at this, lifting his head, looking at Hermione once more, but there was still a small part of him that seemed unsure.

"It's hard denying the Dark Lord." He said. "He'll try again."

"And you'll find it in you to deny him again." Hermione pushed. "I know he has ways, he'll become menacing and hurtful, he makes promises and takes away. You'll have more pride and admiration for resisting it and fighting for the right things, Severus."

He looked down at Hermione's fingers, still gently feeling his arm. He grabbed her hand. Hermione's breath hitched, her hand stiffened slightly.

"Hermione, I-" He cleared his throat, fingers tightening around hers. "Do you still wish to find the glass?"

She bit her lip, her dream returning to her. She had tried so hard to catch Ron's attention as he walked away, yet she hadn't gone after him. She hadn't followed him, feeling something between sadness and release, and felt it fully again as she sat there. Guilt overtook her as she realized she hadn't exactly thought about Ron in the past few weeks, the want to just return home taking precedence. There was a lurch in her belly; had she forgotten so easily she was once carrying his child? With her hand in Severus's, it even felt different. There was a warmth based on need, instead of a hold based on want. Ron's hand was usually clammy when he held hers, it was tight and she never noticed, confining. He was all she knew, having not the intelligence to realize he wasn't the only one she could want until that moment. And then she realized she had actually enjoyed the feeling of Severus's hand on hers and she pulled away, as gently as she could, though the look on her face was probably slathered in sudden confusion.

"I only ask because Lucius mentioned a shop on the edge of town that carries unwanted magical artifacts. It may be worth checking out."

"You told Lucius about it?" Hermione pulled back a little further, shocked. Severus quickly shook his head on defense, turning himself to her again.

"I didn't say a word about the glass, I just asked if he knew of any place that would carry interesting useless things."

"And you expect he wouldn't suspect you of anything?"

"It seemed a perfectly normal question to ask." Severus said, shrugging nervously. "He had asked what interest I had in useless things and I only said that-" His cheeks reddened, he caught himself saying something he obviously didn't want to and as Hermione lifted her eyebrows, knew he couldn't form words to make a lie fast enough to get out of it. "-I said that I wanted to find a unique gift for you." Pressing his lips together, he saw Hermione begin to smirk. "What?" He asked shortly, and he crossed his arms. "He believed it. Laughed, but believed it."

"Because it's out of the norm for you to be asking such questions?" Hermione hinted. "That's terribly sweet of you." She teased

Severus glared.

"He teased me enough about it, I don't need it from you." He mumbled, gripping his wand and standing up. "If you'll excuse me."

"Don't leave." Hermione laughed. "I want to know what my gift is!" She called after him.

...

The pancakes Severus had made were burnt, but easily rectified with a good covering of syrup. The bacon, a little floppy for her liking, had a thick coat of pepper that made her cough the instant it touched her tongue. He couldn't cook, though she had to admit he could pour a good glass of cold orange juice. Not to appear rude or make him feel even more horrible than he already did, she had suffered through the breakfast, assuring him it tasted just fine. They remained quiet as his parents bustled their way around the kitchen for their coffee and rushing to get ready for jobs they were late to. Barely a word spoken between anyone other than a random grunt here and there from his father, and though it felt cold, Hermione could tell it was just another normal morning, unable to imagine it any other way. Though she was used to expressing good mornings and saying proper goodbyes in her own family, the routine in the Snape household felt just as full, if not closer. Being ignored just as much as Severus was made her feel welcome, finally.

The dream was beginning to blur since waking, she had lost the sharp edges of the wildflowers, and had forgotten how wide Ron's smile had been. The feeling, however was still there, as strong as it was when Severus shook her awake. She even found she had begun to grow angry with Ron, just leaving her there in the field of flowers, and it worked into her if anything was being done in the future, the time she came from. Had it existed with her there? Were they aware that she wasn't with them? Were they even doing anything to get her back? She expected, if they were, that Ron, or Harry at the least, would be there with her. Surely they'd be able to piece together what she had touched, where she had been, and would have found her by now.

That thought made her uncomfortable, them finding her. She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to be found. A month ago she would have jumped on them and clung to them, but the past few weeks, winter break, Severus-not even 'Snape' anymore-had slowly changed her feelings. Life was definitely more simple there. School wasn't as trying for her, she could actually enjoy herself instead of having to spend hours cramming new information into her brain, she didn't have her best friends cheating off her own work, things important to her now were clear. She wasn't fighting to survive, to stop death. She realized had a second chance at life, that one question everyone asked: if you could do it all over again, and she began to wonder if maybe she should.

"You know, we don't have to check out that shop immediately." Hermione said over her glass of orange juice. "I wouldn't protest a day off from searching."

Severus shot her an incredulous look, one full of non-believing. The corner of her lips lifted.

"We've just been at it constantly since the beginning of break, hasn't been much of a break for us at all."

"...You're certain?" Severus asked, his fork dropping, clattering against his plate as Hermione nodded.

"I was thinking maybe you can show me around the town? Show me your favorite spots?"

"I don't have many." He said sounding embarrassed. "I haven't been much for venturing around this place."

"I'm sure there's some place you'd be interested in showing me."

Severus thought for a moment, his eyes twinkling as he came to a choice, then removed his wand from his robe, waving it over the table. His and Hermione's plates had lifted into the air and floated to the sink where they began to wash themselves.

"Don't mention that to father." He gave her a pointed look and Hermione nodded.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

...

When they were ready, Severus had eagerly led Hermione through his neighborhood and through a park that seemed to stretch for miles. Hermione stopped him a time or two to gaze out over a lake that lined one side of the path, watching the ducks and geese that would land in it for a rest, laughing at the ones that would shove their heads down into the water, leaving their feathered behinds sticking up, their feet kicking at the air.

Ron would never stop and watch them with her on their walks. He was always more interested in continuing on, growing bored with the birds after a minute or two, or would try to scare them away with skipping stones.

When a playground with a swing set presented itself, she didn't have to beg hard for Severus to push her, he obliged, rocking her until she laughed and squealed with the height, holding onto the frame as it threatened to come out of the ground. A true grin on both of their faces.

Ron never grinned like that. She'd always have to beg him hard for a push, and then he'd stand there, looking embarrassed to be on a swing in a playground of children, asking under his breath if they could leave.

When her swing slowed and her toes could dig into the ground again, Severus sat on the empty swing next to her.

"Lily and I used to come here." He said. "There were days we'd spend the whole day on these swings, never giving them up." And then he pouted, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to spoil today with sad stories."

Hermione pouted.

"You don't need to apologize." She said. Gazing across the playground she saw a few strollers, tired mothers sitting on benches watching their children play on the jungle gym. One of them cradled a baby in her arms.

"I was pregnant before the time jump." She said, lifting her chin to the mother holding the baby, and then tucked it into her chest.

"I'm sorry." Severus said quietly. Hermione sniffed and sighed.

"At first I was heartbroken, the first thing I noticed I lost. Feels like a distant memory now." She dug her toe into the sand and turned her swing. "I fear I didn't want that life as much as I thought after being here for as long as I have." She studied Severus seriously as she said it. He had no reaction at first, watching the mother with the baby, and then as her words sunk in he looked at her oddly.

"I dreamed that Ron had walked away from me, yet I didn't go after him, only yelled for him." She said.

"Ron?" He asked. Hermione bit her lip.

"My husband. Harry's best friend."

Severus's eyes shot to his feet.

"Oh." He said. "You've never mentioned much about him."

Hermione winced. She hadn't told anyone she was married, all of Hogwarts believing she had only suffered stress from exams enough to believe she had carried a baby.

"I guess I was-" She stopped, unsure of why she didn't say anything about it. "-in denial?" She felt bad saying it there like she was regretful to be married in the first place. Severus sucked in a full breath of air and checked his watch. He stood and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"We should continue on. I want to show you my favored spot, yet."

Hermione smiled gently and rose.

They walked in silence through the park until it spat them out onto a busy street. Muggle cars raced by them, and they followed a wide sidewalk, across streets and deep into the heart of a busy town until they came across a building, the word 'Library' carved in gently curved letters over a spinning doorway. The building looked ancient, and when they entered, Hermione was bathed in a golden glow, surrounded by deep, rich colors and mahogany staircases that circled up three stories. Severus had tugged at her sleeve, pulling her into a far corner, a section dedicated to the Classics. Severus had selected a book, smiled warmly at Hermione and reversed to a couch that was placed near a fireplace.

Hermione took her time scanning the spines, reaching for a book that captured her attention and found the couch with Severus. She nestled herself up against the arm of the chair, opening her book, and when she finished the first few pages, extended her legs, laying them across Severus's lap. It was a bold move, one done in spontaneity. She watched him just over the pages of her book, biting her lip. He didn't look away from his words, but a hand released the cover of the book and landed near her ankle, his fingers gently moving in circles. She snuggled deeper into the arm of her chair and lost herself in her book.


	21. Chapter 21

Severus had promised the best Ruben sandwiches in town. Hermione had been surprised when he had ordered them to go instead of staying to eat them there and insisted that she just follow him, her stomach growling harder with every step. He had one more place to show her, and apologized in advance.

"If it's too strange, I'll understand. We don't have to eat there." He had said. Hermione was tentative on finding out where he was taking her, wondering if it would beat the library he had shown her. She could have stayed there all day if Severus, and her hunger, would have let her.

She didn't exactly find the next place strange when they arrived, maybe not the most comfortable of places to be, but the scenery had been rustic.

Ron never took her for picnic's in ancient cemeteries. He barely took her for picnics at all.

When Severus looked to her to make sure she was alright with the choice, she claimed her seat at a wooden and metal picnic table confidently .

"These better be the best like you promised or all your opinions will be null and voided." She told him, grabbing hungrily for her sandwich as he removed it from the carry out bag. He smiled knowingly, unpackaged his own sandwich, and they tucked in.

It was tasty, something they did to the corned beef, or maybe because the sauerkraut was freshly made, but it had, indeed, been the best Ruben she had tasted. She narrowed her eyes jokingly at Severus.

"You got lucky." She said.

"I believe you're right." He answered.

Hermione smiled. Severus had actually swallowed his food before speaking. Ron would have just-

"That shop, the one Lucius mentioned is just down that way." Severus had interrupt Hermione's silent comparison. "It wouldn't bother me if we checked it out, since we're as close as we are. In the neighborhood and all."

"It wouldn't?" Hermione asked, a little too eagerly, knowing she probably should have turned down the offer, just give Severus this day. He shook his head.

"At least we'd know if we were on the right track." He said. "If it's there then we'd know where to find it."

"You had this planned." She accused him. Severus only shrugged.

"Only if you insist." She said and Severus nodded, mouth full.

With full stomachs, they walked through a gravel pathway, stopping to admire the headstones erected as early as the 1800's. Severus had caught Hermione's hand in front of P. Meyers, 1810-1875, and she held it tightly, not bothering to hide her smile. The air was chilly, but it was all she needed to keep warm.

Eventually they made their way to the shop, hidden in a dark alley, almost missing it if it wasn't for stepping into a sour smell, like a wall. Hermione guessed it had been a ruse to keep Muggles from entering, as it disappeared as soon as they took a few steps down the alley.

The store front was dark, they were just able to distinguish a few items in a large window to give away that a store had even been inside. They pushed the door open, and it felt alone. Abandoned. Cold. It was almost as if someone had forgotten to secure the door and attach the closed sign onto it. The air was still and dusty. Hermione could tell it had been ages since someone had been in there. The shelves and the things upon them were in much need of dusting.

"Well this looks promising." Severus said sarcastically. Hermione rolled her eyes, pulling him along to begin a hunt through the shelves in a section labeled 'delicate.'

"Help me look." She told him.

One thing was for certain, there had been glass, at least a hundred magnifying glasses and reading glasses, glass display cases that covered awards, or trinkets, there were cups made of glass that had etchings of dates, and names, and places upon them, the souvenir sort that usually ended up in places like these.

Hermione was captured by small glass animals in another row; an elephant holding a red glass balloon above its head, a glass bear riding a small metal tricycle, a winged pig among hundreds of others, all just as whimsical as the last one. She had picked up those that caught her attention and rubbed it with her thumb until she caught a glimmer of cleanliness.

Severus had found a tiny glass Quidditch set, and upon touching it, sent the Snitch flying across the room.

"Can't take you anywhere." Hermione breathed, wincing as the Snitch pinged off of the shelves and walls, having to duck a few times when they saw it coming from them.

"I didn't think it was a working set." He explained. Hermione pulled him on.

The next shelves had glass figurines of witches and wizards, all children, caught in the act of daily lives.

"Aren't these charming?" Hermione sighed, looking at one in particular of a little girl in pigtails playing a game of Double Dutch, the ropes being held up in thin air, a gleeful expression so delicately formed in her face. Most of these had glossy color, making them appear more lifelike than the animals.

The glass section seemed to end there, the rest of the store being of clothes and stuffed animals, whatever furniture could be fit into the space. Giving up hope, Severus squeezed Hermione's hand.

"I'm sorry, Hermione." He said. She blinked slowly.

"It was worth a shot." She said.

A clock chimed softly from above them, high on a shelf, and they turned to look.

"Just as well, it's getting late." Severus said, but Hermione held him to the spot when he tried to leave.

"It can't be." She gasped, taking a few slow steps toward it. The clock, a mantle clock with with a rich, mahogany wood body carved intricately at the base with Celtic knots, golden colored time hands, and a mother-of-pearl face plate that was almost hypnotic the more she stared at it, hidden behind a glass door. Hermione's jaw dropped open and she pointed to it.

"That's it!" She exclaimed, shaking her hands including Severus's. He wiggled free of her grip, but stepped up closer.

"You're certain?" He asked. Hermione, still studying the features upon it squealed again.

"It has to be! It's the exact same one!" She turned to Severus who seemed happy, but his eyes didn't shine. His face wasn't lit up like it had been all day.

"Oh, Sev." She sighed. "I didn't mean to-"

"-No, no, it's okay. You found what you were searching for. Of course you'd be excited." He emphasized his smile to help prove his point, but it failed in sending out the message. Hermione grasped his hands with hers, he clung to them.

"I don't have to leave right away, at least we know it's here, remember?"

Severus looked a bit more hopeful at this, dropping one of Hermione's hands and brushed a bit of hair away from her face. He had captured her eyes and held them, a moment rising between them, one that was shattered with a painful "oof" from behind them. The Snitch, still flying around had hit something-or someone, rather.

They jumped apart, looking at the door. Severus had already obtained his wand and pointed it at the dark figures looming there. Hermione recognized James, rubbing his neck with one hand, where the tiny glass ball had smacked him, and Sirius beside him. Peter and Remus had been harder to make out, but their two shadows stood in nice contrast behind them. They had their own wands all raised in their left hands.

"Well isn't this just sickening?" James asked, swaying side to side, the tip of his wand switching quickly between the two of them. Severus stood straighter, his wand arm stiffening. He grabbed Hermione's arm and began to push him behind her. Sirius stepped forward, tsking his tongue.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." He said, and Hermione remained still. Sirius and James exchanged a smirk. They stepped closer, Severus and Hermione stepping back to keep the distance between them the same, and Peter and Remus joined the line.

"We just want the clock, Hermione." Remus spoke, he didn't look happy to be there and she could only expect he had been forced to come along.

"Speak for yourself. I wouldn't mind showing Granger the time of her life."

She narrowed her eyes at Sirius, Severus growled.

"You couldn't handle me." Hermione said, her eyes focusing on their wands. Something seemed a little off with them. Sirius snorted, elbowing James.

"Told you she's playing hard to get."

"Nah, she's easy. Otherwise how would she have gotten Snape?"

"Good point."

Severus tensed, sparks flew from the tip of his wand, unable to keep himself from showing anger. James stabbed forward to block it. In that moment, in the brightness of spells Hermione saw it. It wasn't their wands that were off, it was the dark shapes on their arms, on the inner side of the forearm, black marks like skulls and snakes. Severus released another spell, and Hermione yanked him back, taking cover behind a shelf that exploded right after them. They ran from shelf to shelf, stopping to listen after the third shelf was crossed. They could hear crunching of broken glass under feet, they were splitting up.

"They have the Dark Mark." Hermione said, fearful.

"I saw it, too." Severus answered, frantically looking around them. "The ladder." Severus said, pointing next to them, just a few steps away, propped up against a wall. "You need to take the ladder and get to that clock."

"What?" Hermione said, her brow furrowing together. "No, I can't leave now."

"If they've joined with Voldemort, this will be your only chance to escape."

"We can fight. I know tricks-"

"-Hermione!" Severus was sharp with her name, she jumped. "Chances are they let loose your little secret and Voldemort knows. I can assure you nothing good will come of it." He stared at Hermione a moment longer before widening his eyes. "I'll cover you. I'll be right behind you. You need to get to that clock."

Hermione looked fearfully between the shelves, spotting Peter slowly making his way toward them.

"Now!" Severus barked again and Hermione moved. She grabbed the ladder, it bumped into a few items sending them crashing to the ground. She heard Severus scream a few curses, saw the wall light up and heard shelves breaking. She moved the ladder to the spot under the clock, braced it against the wall, foot on the first rung. Severus grabbed her arm. She turned to face him, he leaned in, closing the gap between them and kissed her.

Time felt like it had slowed, his lips were soft and warm, sending a warm shiver down her spine and making her wish they could stay in that moment a little longer if it hadn't of been for a zap that went through them. Peter had hit them with a stinging curse, breaking apart the kiss. Severus blocked her with his body and yelled over his shoulder.

"Climb." He ordered. "Go."

Hermione gripped the ladder, her feet clanging up it, she looked behind her, James and Peter were on Severus, his wand was flicked from his hand. She wanted to fight, wanted to hit every single one of them with her own spells, but Peter smiled his toothy mouth at her, his wand aimed directly at her, and she ducked in just enough time to miss whatever he sent. She looked at the clock. It was a foot above her. Go, she whispered to herself, closed her eyes, jumped up with an arm outstretched and felt the smoothness of the glass faceplate against her fingers. Everything around her ceased to exist. The ladder was no longer under her feet, the glass had given way to air, and when she chanced opening her eyes she saw a blinding brightness around her.


	22. 1980

As her eyes adjusted, the bright light gave way to shapes. The shapes, beside her and all around her, took on more familiar curves of people. Strangers. Females. All of them dressed in ratty clothes, all of them heading in the same direction. She was bumped from behind, having been standing still, and forced to move in the same direction everyone else was.

There was a building in front of them, one tall, giant, wooden building with sliding barn doors at the entrance. She was in awe at its size, those around her remaining bored. They'd seen it already. It took a while for everyone to move through the large entrance, and into the building. All the bodies inside had already made the heat rise above what already felt like a stifling day, and Hermione thought about loosening the cloak she had been wearing. Her fingers fumbled for the clasps, but couldn't find them. Looking down, she saw she had been dressed in the same kind of rags the others were wearing; jeans with holes that looked like they wouldn't even last through the morning, a dark threadbare shirt she could nearly see through, all time travel necessary to appear like the others. She was swimming in them as they appeared two sizes too large. Her hand rested on her pocket, the firm, solid feel of her wand against her leg calmed her only slightly.

She followed the crowd further into the building, seeing rows and rows of long wooden and splintery tables, partially bleached by the sunlight that managed to filter through the windows placed high up on the surrounding walls. Each woman in front of her took a space at the table, a space marked by cauldrons. And when the woman in front of her stopped at her cauldron, Hermione, wanting to fit in, stopped at the next one and hoped she had done it right. The woman behind her stopped at the next one, so on and so fourth.

Watching them, each woman set out grabbing for a choice of ingredients to their left, adding them to the cauldron, and nothing more. Hermione stared at her cauldron, surprised to see a bit of parchment appear on the space of table between it and herself. On it was her schedule, brewing potions until nine that night, with two, one-hour rest periods in between.

She scanned her ingredients, slightly different than her neighbors, besides the usual base ingredients for a sleeping draught, she recognized powdered lionfish and upon smelling the vials, the bitter essence of the Venomous Tentacula plant. She took a breath, a big one, and grabbed for her ingredients. She knew this potion, having studied it in the Ministry as an intern after Hogwarts. Potion No. 7, she hadn't been told what it was, only given the potion and had to break down its components to figure it out on her own. It took her two days, but she managed.

No one spoke. The building had remained frightfully silent, only the sounds of potion making, the slight cough or clearing of a throat. She had noticed a handful of woman, tall and slender, their uniforms were long velvety cloaks embroidered with Voldemort's mark on the right breast. They walked slowly, methodically, up and down each aisle, their sharp chins poking over random shoulders, noses angled above the rest. She'd sense the tension in the girls around her grow when one of them were near, fading quickly after they passed.

"Who are they?" Hermione whispered after one had passed by. The girl to her right dropped the bundle of leaves she was holding at the sound of the whisper. The girl to the left gave a small, short, almost inaudible 'shh.' Hermione stared at this girl for a moment, and then grabbed another handful of bullhorn dust. It crackled softly when added to the liquid in the cauldron.

"What is this place?" Hermione whispered again to the girl sitting on her right, who stiffened, shaking her head in refusal. Another 'shh' from the girl on her left. The girls sitting opposite them, wide eyed and staring at Hermione.

"We're not allowed to talk." One of them whispered, pushing a finger up to her own mouth in a hushing way, then returned to her brewing. Hermione pouted, stirring her own potion clockwise a couple of times, and straightened her ingredients when one of the tall and slender women walked by again. She watched her reach the end of her row out of the corner of her eye.

"They're wearing the Mark of Voldemo-"

The girls across from her began to cough wildly, the girls next to her gave her a shove that nearly sent her stumbling backwards. One of the tall, slender ladies narrowed her eyes at the group, shifting the weight on her feet and crossed her arms.

"Don't speak his name." The girl on her left breathed.

"It's traced." The girl on her right added. They were working diligently on their potions as they spoke, a little too hard, failing to notice the tall and slender lady slowly beginning to approach them.

"They're the leaders, assigned to watch us." The girl across from Hermione said. "Making sure we're doing our jobs."

Hermione carefully dropped in a few drops of the Venomous Tentacula.

"As long as you don't make them angry, they'll leave you alone." The girl on the left said, and just as quickly as she stopped talking had screamed out in pain, her body twisting and writhing into a fetal position on the floor. Hermione had dropped the vial of the Tentacula out of shock, the potion bubbling and steaming as if the heat had just been put to the max. The girls across the table screamed, gaining the attention of the whole building, taking out their wands and began muttering spells to calm the bubbling, succeeding at least to remove the steaming. They too were hit with pain, wands dropping from their hands and fell to the floor.

Hermione turned, seeing the tall and slender lady standing behind her, her own wand held out, leaving the girls she had just struck and pointed it to the girl on Hermione's right. She began to sob, begging and pleading for her not to punish her, a hundred 'I'm sorry's' escaping in one long breath, but the lady had no sympathy. A quick flick of her wand had crumpled the girl, her screams and cries growing in intensity, then stopping altogether as the pain became too much, causing her to pass out.

The wand was turned on Hermione last. Hermione breathed heavily, watching the tip of it just inches away from her chest, then looked directly into the eyes of the lady. They burned intensely at her, her lips pulling back into a sneer of hatred, ready to form a verbal 'crucio,' but couldn't get the word out. She was interrupted. A snake like voice gathered everyone's attention, followed by the chilling, floating voice of Voldemort, himself. She recognized it immediately and it sent shivers down her spine.

A son has been born. The time is upon us for celebration as we grow stronger. Let us gather for the showing ceremony.

The lady wearing the dark mark snarled, her wand lowered, the intensity of her glare deepened.

"Don't think the birth of a favored will save you every time." The lady wrinkled her nose, looking at her as one looks at a rotten piece of meat. "Girlie." She seethed, turning and walking away. "We're watching you." Over her shoulder.

Hermione let out a breath she had been holding. Those around her unfroze from their watching and without much pomp and circumstance, headed toward the door. She looked at the girl on her right, still on the floor breathing deeply and silently crying in sleep. The girl on her left was pulling herself up, hissing between her teeth when she moved too fast and Hermione extended a hand. The girl smacked it away.

"Please don't. You've done enough." She said.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said lowly. "I didn't mean for anyone to get into trouble."

"No one ever does."


	23. Chapter 23

The only thing noticeably different about the building that sat atop the Ministry of Magic had been the darkened windows and an eerie shadow that came from nowhere, but seemed to hug the building from all directions. She had recognized it immediately after rounding a corner, following the crowd to wherever this celebration would take place. What she didn't recognize, were the buildings on their way there. The original ones were painted black, their windows broken or missing, and the faces that looked out of them appeared sallow and dead had it not been for slow and wobbly blinking that happened. The other buildings, appearing slightly new and looked out of place, had been hastily built out of the same wood from the building she had just come from, squished in between those already there.

"When did you arrive?"

A man standing next to her, hands in his pockets, had stared along with her, from building to building, window to window and she didn't notice he was there until he spoke.

"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked. The man smiled gently.

"When did you arrive?" He asked again. "The ones who have been here a while never pay attention to their surroundings anymore. It's always the new ones that gawk at everything."

"I didn't mean to gawk, it's just changed so much from the last time I-" Hermione closed her eyes tightly and held her breath, expecting him to question her about the last time she did what, exactly. But he didn't.

"It has changed, hasn't it?" He agreed. "They all went up and squished together in a matter of weeks. One day it's just a perfect center in Whitehall, people mulling about. The Muggles unsuspecting and the Wizarding never thinking it could become something like this." He held his hands palm up and motioned around them. Hermione looked from him and once again to the buildings around her, chewing on her lip. When she looked back at him, he had a hand exchanged.

"I'm Abe."

"Hermione." She said, taking his hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze and let it go.

"You know a lot about this...place then?" She asked. He nodded, his face saddening slightly.

"More than I'd like to admit." He sighed.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said, taking his cue and sympathized. "Any chance I can get you to clue me in?" She chanced the question, hoping she wouldn't be giving herself away too quickly. He blinked at her, and she looked away, to the buildings again and then to her feet. "I've just been...away...for a while. Didn't expect to come back into this."

"How did you get here?" He asked. Hermione shrugged slightly.

"Attacked and transported last night, I guess you can say." She looked up hopefully, wanting to sound as clueless as possible while still being convincing. He pitied her, she could tell.

"I heard they uncovered a hidden town. Didn't think the attack would happen so soon. Were there many survivors?"

"Um." Hermione bit her lip. "I'm not sure." Her mind went to Severus, he had been grabbed by James and Sirius the last she saw. Whether he had survived was unknown though she expected the worst. "We were taken by surprise. Didn't have time to prepare. Didn't know this was going to happen." She whispered. Abe nodded understandingly.

"It started strange enough. A prophecy of a prophecy, at least that's how the rumors went. In the simplest terms, a child would be born that would kill You-Know-Who, surely you've heard this part."

Hermione nodded slowly, her skin prickling. Abe placed a hand on her shoulder and gently guided her through people, leading her closely to the Ministry building.

"No one is exactly sure who said it or how it came about, but those who knew it were somehow able to prove it. Took it straight to You-Know-Who, himself. Seeing his chance to become all powerful and mighty, he wasted no time in preparing, growing his strength, taking control of the Ministry. Recruiting anyone willing to make a pure world into his ranks regardless of who they were or where they came from."

They had reached the Ministry building, a black window framed a large, hand painted picture. It showed Voldemort standing among a crowd of people in black robes, Death Eater masks covering each face. Some had their arms outstretched in praise, others were in a low kneeling bow, a few around the edges had their wands lit, pointing them defensively to nonexistent battles happening outside the painting. Abe guided her to the next window, another hand painted portrait, this one grotesque and macabre as it showed bodies and bones on the ground, Voldemort standing in the middle laughing victoriously into the sky, hurdled and scared people quivering from the corners.

"He began to take over faster than anyone could stop him, making promises to those who came without a struggle of no harm and all the comforts of home. Those who fought ended up pushing daisies. At first this place had been too small to home everyone who had willingly come, hence the added buildings, and once the word got around that his promise was nothing more than stuffing us like sardines in this place, people started refusing the peace. Within a year hundreds had been killed purely on refusal. Within two, many had gone into hiding only to be blown up or murdered when they'd be found. My group had been one of the lucky ones. Most of us had begged for mercy and were able to come here.

"And then the tides changed. For the sake of gaining a pure empire, they began plucking us off one by one, taking us into the Ministry, testing our allegiance and intelligence. The lucky ones, that is the ones that passed their ideals of mind and body images were allowed to continue on, living just as we have. Those unlucky, the ones that failed in some way or form, and those who still showed resistance were gathered and publicly executed."

The next painting showed a large platform in the middle of the town, a single file row of people dressed in robes very similar to the ones Hermione and the others wore, were cowering in front of Voldemort who had his wand raised at them. The people in the crowd that had been watching all wore expressions mixed with rage, fright, and heartbreak. Hermione gasped, taking in a shaky breath.

"All of us here, Hermione, all of us in this town, this village, save for the ones who reside behind the walls of this building-" Abe pressed his fingers against the wall in front of them, "-are still alive because we carry a trait they like, that they think will be useful in some form or another. We may be squibs and Muggle-borns just trying to survive, but we should consider ourselves lucky to be alive in the first place."

Hermione studied Abe before her attention was drawn to the last picture. This one was just a self portrait of Voldemort. His large eyes, mouth open and snake like tongue filling the window, watching everyone who passed by in a frozen stare. One word scripted at the bottom; 'Purity.' She shivered under his painted glare, and then she grew closer. In the black space between the painting and the edge of the window she caught her reflection. She had aged, but only a little. Instead of youth, she saw a young woman staring back at her, hair less frizzy, cheekbones a little more pronounced. She touched the glass, outlining her face, and then turned to Abe.

"How long has this been going on?" She asked. Abe lifted a shoulder.

"At least five years as far as I can be sure. I didn't arrive here when it began, but close to it. They were just putting in the last barrack, there." He pointed to the wooden building squished closest to the Ministry.

"Five years." Hermione muttered, her mind once again reeling to Severus. Was he still alive after five years? Were James and the rest of the Marauders still in Voldemort's league? She thought about asking Abe to see if he heard of any of them, but decided against it, not wishing to give herself away.

"You okay?" He asked. He had been watching her and she nodded, backing away from the glass.

"Yes." She replied. "I just haven't noticed how far-how long I've been gone." She glanced up the building, knowing that Muggles had ran their businesses inside of it when she worked at the Ministry, wondering what had happened to everyone inside of it now.

"I guess time would seem to freeze when you're in hiding. It wouldn't matter much anyway when it comes down to it." Abe agreed. "Any idea who gave your group away?"

Hermione stared at him. She knew exactly who gave it away and felt an immense feeling of grief wash over her. It had been she who had caused the change, she had been foolish in letting herself get figured out, it was all her fault. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped at them angrily with the heel of her hand. Abe poured.

"Someone close to you." He stated. "I'm sorry."

Her eyes wouldn't stop watering no matter how hard she rubbed at them. Her nose wouldn't stop dropping either and she used the sleeve of her shirt to wipe at it before Abe reached into his pocket and produced a yellowing handkerchief.

"It's clean." He said and she took it.

"Thank you." She managed to get out weakly. "I'm just overwhelmed." She said. "Been through so much to get..." She took another look around her and a sob escaped her. Abe seemed petrified as she cried and he placed a hand on her elbow.

"You'll be okay." He said. "Just keep your head down and follow the rules. Try not to get noticed."

She snorted at this feeling a sense of deja vu having tried that once before and failing. She blew her nose into the handkerchief, breathing deeply to regain control of herself the best she could.

"If it makes you feel any better, I hear the Magical Congress of the United States of America has caught word about You-Know-Who's plans and are putting together plans to help."

There was a loud choke next to them, and a bone-thin man leaned over, eyebrows pushed together.

"Still believing in that bullocks? We know for certain they're not doing a single thing to help. Too scared of destroying their own to help their brothers regain control."

"Phil, please. Trying to calm here." Abe tipped his head to Hermione, and the newcomer softened.

"Listen, sister. If it helps you hang on then go ahead and believe it, just don't count on them hopping the first broom available to us." Phil said with a nudge to Hermione's shoulder. She gave a nod, eyes downcast wondering even if they did help how it would even change anything. The future she wanted to return to was already gone, already formed into post-Voldemort's rule.

"Why do you have to be such a sour sport?" Abe asked, turning to Phil who only raised his hands.

"Sorry I'm not all rainbows and puppies. It's best not to put the idea of victory into the heads of the new people as you're guilty of doing. It just makes it harder for them to accept reality."

"It gives them hope."

"Yeah, a false hope. Look, lady. Abe here might be trying to comfort you, which is a noble thing to do, don't get me wrong, but the fact of the matter is with You-Know-Who's forces moving further into Europe and gaining more power, this looks to be what the future holds. Better to acknowledge that now and get used to the idea than to spend your time dreaming that we'll have conquered the dark wizards next week."

Abe was glaring, Phil was looking at Hermione. She had stopped the tears, looking between the two.

"This obviously won't be fixed overnight." Hermione agreed, pulling a triumphant grin from Phil and deepening Abe's glower.

"But it's also nice to have a silver lining set in mind, something to achieve...in time of course."

Abe brightened and Phil chuckled.

"If you say so." Phil said. He glanced at the window, eyes narrowing at Voldemort's portrait. "Enough lurking around the wall of misery. We're supposed to be celebrating after all. You coming?" He turned sideways to them, though his question had been aimed at Abe, who gave a hesitant nod.

"I'll be along." He said. They watched him leave.

"What exactly are we supposed to be celebrating?" Hermione asked. "I mean I heard the announcement of a birth, but what is the importance of it? What makes it so special?"

"Remember the prophecy?" Abe asked. Hermione nodded.

"Hard to forget." She mumbled.

"Well, if the information is true, this is the day that 'special boy' has entered our world." Abe looked annoyed to just say it. "It's been the celebration planned for, for the past nine months.

"Harry." Hermione breathed and then pressed her lips together as Abe tilted his head.

"You already know the name they picked?" He asked.

"A...guess?" Hermione grinned painfully.

"Hmm." Abe rubbed the back of his neck. He started to speak and then stopped himself, licking at the corner of his mouth, and then inhaled a sharp breath. "Why don't you come to the celebration." It sounded more a statement than an invitation. "Make some friends."


	24. Chapter 24

Hermione followed Abe through the crowd, back in the direction she had come from and when they reached the end of the buildings, went through a door that led to a stairway that took them down into a cold and lonely hallway. Hermione hesitated, Abe chuckled and urged her along, opening another door. A cat scampered through it, and they stepped through. The people already inside paid no attention to them until Ave had cleared his throat.

"Everyone, this is Hermione. She's new."

They took a polite moment to look up in her direction and then went back to conversing with each other. Abe leaned to her.

"Don't take offense to their disinterest. I'm sure you'll be chatting up a storm with them in no time. Let's see, we have Christy, Amy and Lori over there, Tom there. That's Adina and Henry..." he listed off a few names, sighing as he came to the last. "..and you already know Phil." As Phil entered the room wearing a long, dark robe. He had painted his face a pale chalky white,and was carrying a doll with plastic, blotchy hair in his hand. He coughed, gaining attention and a few laughs.

"He's done this with every special birth. A kind of tradition now, really." Abe said through a grin. Hermione smiled back though it was weak, Phil dressed up as Voldemort did come off funny, but what if they were caught? What if one of those leaders, or a Death Eater would find out?

Phil jumped up onto a wooden coffee table, cradling the doll in his hands, beaming to everyone, trying his best to copy the high pitched whisper of Voldemort.

"Thank you all for coming. We have waited a long while, a lifetime if you ask me, for this exact moment. A moment that will empower us, help us grow stronger, make us the most powerful breed of people that had walked on this very earth." He began pacing slowly across the coffee table. "Children are special. They enter this world without any regards or worries, without knowing who to trust and they so eagerly latch on to those who are willing to care, to nurture them. They are our future, our key to success, and the more we can strengthen those fragile genes and minds, the faster we can climb to the top, the better we can grasp the world between our fingers and take back what was rightly ours in the first place." There was a loud squeal, Phil had grabbed the doll in his arms so tightly, the air escaped and left it with a misshapen head, half of its face concave and slowly popping back out. The room laughed as Phil let out an 'oops,' and jumped off the table.

"All magical children are precious, but this one is more precious to me as his ascendency will empower my reign." He grabbed the doll by one leg and held it up, dangling it at arms length to show it off in front of everyone. Hermione was sure this was for comical reasons, though she wouldn't put it past the real Voldemort to show a real child in such a fashion. Her lips tugged into a light smile, unable to stop them as Phil tucked the doll carelessly under one arm and collapsed his hands in front of him, wandering through the few people now.

"Normally I would bore you with the backstory on the little brats family history, proving that he's worthy to be bowed down to and treated like royalty, however, due to the circumstances and what little time we have left for celebration, it's time to get down to naming the tiny thing." Phil said this out of character, grinning at every word. Immediately names had been called out.

"Zachary!"

"William!"

"Morgan!"

Phil shook his head waving his hand away.

"Sissy names, they're all weak and unjustified for such a being. Think strong, think cogent and supreme."

"Francis!"

"Mikey!"

"Buttercup!"

"Phil!"

Phil twirled at the sound of his own name, eyes lighting up, a finger pointing to the one who had called it out, about to praise the person before Abe lifted onto his toes.

"Harry!" He called out. Hermione winced, wanting to shrink into herself. She sent a glare to him who only winked in reply. Phil had frozen and turned slowly, his hand dropping to his side. Abe lifted his eyebrows and tilted his head to Hermione, to which Phil locked his eyes upon her.

"Harry." He said, stepping closer, the doll under his arms dropping to the floor unnoticed. Hermione's shoulders drooped, her chin tucked into her neck not liking the sudden attention Phil gave her as he worked his way over to her.

"Why would you do that?" Hermione whispered to Abe, who only smiled back at her. Phil was there now, standing in front of her and she looked up. He was curiously watching her, like someone trying to learn legilimency and failing.

"Harry." He stated again and Hermione pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

"Such an interesting name choice." He said.

"It was a lucky-" Hermione started, but Phil nodded, interrupting her.

"-A lucky guess, yes, yes." He looked to Abe who lifted his eyebrows.

"When did you arrive?" He asked. Hermione looked between both of them.

"Just now...well, I mean earlier today."

"Where did you come from?"

"Her town was invaded." Abe answered quickly, stepping slightly between them. Phil was reluctant to stop looking at Hermione, but was forced to as Abe pressed between them.

"Of course it was." Phil sighed. "In the same way as mine?"

"I haven't a clue." Abe said. "But I have a good hunch." He took Phil by his shoulders, whispering. "Why don't you ask her about it in privacy?"

Phil sucked air between his teeth and stepped away, striding across the room to the door he entered through. Hermione looked at Abe who swung an arm out in front of him allowing her to follow first.

This room was darker than the other. A rusty and bare bed frame hugged one wall, a chest of drawers with a large round mirror bracketed on top next to it which Phil had leaned against, arms crossed over his chest, and a wardrobe with its hinged doors nearly falling off against the other walls. The electric lights flickered as they entered and Abe shut the door behind them.

"You better be right about this one." Phil said looking Hermione up and down.

"Right about what?" Hermione asked, only to be ignored. Abe stepped around her to sit on the bed frame that squeaked under his weight.

"She fits, doesn't she?"

"Just like the last few? They're going to start suspecting something if we keep sending people for obliviation."

"Obliviation?" Hermione squealed, but Abe nor Phil reacted.

"She matches his description, doesn't she? Merlin's beard, Phill, she knew about Harry."

"Who's description?" Hermione asked, Phil dropped his arms, curling his fingers around the top of the drawer. He gazed at her momentarily through his eyelashes.

"Snape."

"Severus!" Hermione started at the name.

"I knew it!" Abe exclaimed, the bed creaking under him. Phil waved his hands at them both, they had grown too loud.

"How do you know him?" Phil asked.

"He was my-I mean we-" Hermione stammered over how she knew him, unsure of which reality to give. She could tell them he had been her professor and give herself away as it was still years before he'd be known as a renowned potions master. If she mentioned they went to school together, albeit the safest excuse, but could potentially be dangerous given the amount of time that had passed between them and now. She narrowed her eyes at Phil.

"How do you know him?" She asked. Phil smirked.

"Broken a few rules, gained some time in the palace. It's amazing how easily trust can be gained and friendships earned in the hands of loneliness."

"The palace?" Hermione asked.

"The prisoners palace, as we call it. It's in the Ministry, the place they keep the rogue ones, or those who have pulled enough interest with His followers to be kept separate from the rest of us." Abe explained. "Phil has been known to spend quite a bit of time in there. He likes it better there than here in my opinion."

"It gets me out of work." Phil said snidely. "It was a mistake to put us together, you see. If they hadn't, Severus wouldn't have come to tell me about a girl he once knew." He raised his eyebrows. Hermione stood a bit taller.

"He's still alive?" She asked anxiously.

"Yes, he's still alive though I'm not sure of the exact reason, they've had plenty reasons to do away with him. I have a pretty good hunch, however." Phil paused for a beat. "But enough about him, its you I want to find out about."

Hermione swallowed.

"Me?"

"You. Yes, you seem like a girl that I would get along swell with. It's only natural for friends to swap past histories with."

"Why such the hurry?" She tittered a little, taking a slow step back toward the door as Phil lifted himself off the drawer.

"Time is short, princess. Surely you've figured that out by now."

Hermione couldn't find any words, Abe wasn't helping much either as he sat there giving her an urging nod, and she almost wanted to trust them. Phil knew Severus, or so he said and being thrust into a new time alone and vulnerable, as he had said, it's amazing how easily trust can be gained and friendships earned in the hands of loneliness. On the contrary, it was also the exact reason she felt the need to get out of there and avoid answering Phil's questions; experience had already shown her what a little slip up of secret information to the wrong person can do.

"I know how you feel, Hermione. Trust me on that one, it may seem unlikely, but we have more in common than you-"

Phil abruptly quit talking as the door had been swung open, Adina, one of the girls that Abe had pointed out stepped into the room tightly clutching the cat in her arms.

"We gotta go." She said. "They're coming."

There wasn't any hesitation, Abe lifted from the bed and grabbed Hermione, Phil already out the door before them.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked as they began running through the room, back to the outside.

"Large groups that gather outside of watchful eyes aren't exactly in policy." He said. "Unfortunately they got wind of our private celebration. This way." Abe pulled her through an alley, they began to run.

"Have you seen your building yet?" He asked, feet pounding street, and Hermione shook her head.

"No, just that barn-"

"-You'll need to turn left when I tell you and go past the Ministry. At the end of that block take a right and go all the way down until you reach the dead end. Your building should be the one on the right."

He dodged down another alley and Hermione followed, managing to step into a puddle that soaked her shoe to the ankle. She could hear a gathering of people on the other side of the alley, and also a few more echoing from behind. Looking behind her, she caught a glimpse of all too familiar black robes and silver masks flash by the alley entrance, chasing someone else. They slowed at the end of the alley, Abe sneaking a look around the corner, and then beckoned her to follow as he stepped out nonchalantly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It didn't do much to disguise them in the solemn crowd they had entered, as one of the Death Eaters had pointed a wand directly at her and ordered them to stop.

Her feet froze, she watched that wand carefully, Abe pulled his hands from his pockets. The Death Eater was joined by another, his own wand trained at Abe. Those around them watched without much fanfare, having seen it all before, maybe a little too many times to even get a slight amount of entertainment from it.

"All hail Voldemort!"

Attention was suddenly drawn from the alleyway as Phil, still poorly dressed as the Dark Lord bounded out from it, holding the robes above his knees, laughing, and ran straight into the crowd. The Death Eaters lost interest in Abe and Hermione, quickly changing their attention to Phil. They stayed just long enough to see him tackled by spells and dark robes before they were off again.

"There, turn there." Abe ordered, an arm waving left down a street.

"But what about Phil?" She asked. "What's going to happen to him?"

"He'll be alright, don't you worry."

"But-"

"-They're not going to be long. Get yourself to your barrack, Hermione. We'll talk more later." He thrust his chin down her side of the street. "Go on."

He had a point, once the Death Eaters would gain control of Phil's distraction, they'd be after the rest of them. Once again she ran down the street, not bothering to stop, not bothering to look behind her. It wasn't long before she was caught in another crowd surrounding the Ministry, this one dense and just as emotionless as the other. She slipped her way deep into it, needing to catch her breath. Everyone had been watching the entrance, a raised platform in front of the doors. Her blood curdled as she saw the real Voldemort stand on it in front of everyone, a baby in his arms, giving a speech.

"Children are special. They enter this world without any regards or worries, without knowing who to trust and they so eagerly latch on to those who are willing to care, to nurture them. They are our future, our key to success, and the more we can strengthen those fragile genes and minds, the faster we can climb to the top, the better we can grasp the world between our fingers and take back what was rightly ours in the first place-"

It had been word for word of the speech Phil had presented in the room, she was terrified, drawn to watching the child he clutched in his arms, able to touch him painlessly, having not set the curse of love in his blood. Behind him, standing silently, she saw James and Lily. James scanning the crowd, and she dodged behind a person to keep herself hidden. She wasn't sure how he'd react if he saw her and didn't want to find out. Lily on the other hand appeared frail, almost brittle, like her soul had been torn from her as she stood there, eyes downcast to the ground.

Breathing normal again, Hermione slowly began edging her way through the crowd taking care to keep behind the taller of persons around her toward the street Abe had told her to turn down. She felt nauseous, Voldemort being so close to her, Lily looking starved and unhappy, Severus somewhere under her feet. Her wand burned in her pocket, and knowing that it was too soon to do much of anything quite yet.

She managed her way to the dead end, taking in a deep breath as she pushed her way into the building on the right. Every floor, every room holding bunk beds making her feel like she had been away at a summer camp rather than living in an altered reality under Voldemort's rule. The place felt deserted, everyone outside in a depressed celebration, she had only seen a handful of other women in there, scattered among floors. Each bed on the lower levels obviously taken. It was near the op floor that Hermione had found a bunk, a bare mattress and thin pillow tossed carelessly on it did she stop to rest.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Here you guys go! A well deserved, long-awaited chapter! Sorry for the wait, we've lost five people at work in a matter of hours (literally two walk outs and three people quit in a 24 hour timespan a month ago) so it's been busy, not to mention they've started me on training for another position because of it so my time has been cut down. Enjoy!

...

She doubted the smell of liver would ever wash away from her hands. It made the second night of sleep very unpleasant, no matter how far away from her face she put them, that's all she could smell. Even in her dreams she was chopping the slimy, sticky organ all night, and found it hard to get moving on the third day after she woke up. Hermione had come to the conclusion that the leader, that snub nosed lady who had kept an extra eye on her, had been the one to make sure her potion had included it. Lots of it. The other girls around her had the less smelly contents, and it was hopeless to try and switch with them. They wanted nothing to do with it, and she feared asking for a change in potions; the leader would see a problem with it more than likely and finally have that chance to crucio her. So, she grudgingly continued to chop, making sure the slices were even and thin, just as the potion called for. Besides, smelly fingers were the least of her problems.

What she decided she needed to do was locate Severus. From there they could plan a possible escape and look for the piece of glass that could transport the both of them to another time. It had to be better than this, even if it was further in the future, when things had a chance to right themselves, when all of this would just be history. They could learn to hide and fit in with whatever survived. Even if on the off chance it threw them into the past, it would undoubtedly be better than this as well; at least they'd have a little bit of an understanding what was going to happen and could deal with whatever came accordingly.

She had seen Christy and Lori as they shared a bunk on the floor she had chosen and though they were still strangers, knowing their faces did bring a little bit of comfort to her. They hadn't tried to befriend her outright, but were showing tolerance when she'd saunter over to them after the floor became awake and everyone began to empty out into the street to head to the barn. They didn't protest when she followed behind them during their one break halfway through the day to a dirty mess hall, packed with what seemed everyone in that town. Not wanting to feel too needy, or give the impression of a lost puppy dog, as soon as they had their trays filled with what Hermione could only explain as 'goop,' she'd stood alone along an outer wall, tray held in her hand, watching everyone else seem to just fit in, as if this way of life had already become normal to them. When Christy had caught her eye and waved her over to the table she had sat down at, she couldn't have felt more thankful.

"Follow us around all day and then decide to eat alone? I don't think so." Christy pat the seat next to her. "Sit down."

"Thank you." Hermione whispered, but was sure Christy nor Lori had heard as they had gone back to chatting with each other. She hadn't noticed Adina across from her until she slid something across the table to her underneath a thin paper napkin.

"You'll need it. Trust me." She said.

Hermione lifted the napkin, a small and round plastic container filled with salt had been underneath and she took it.

"It actually makes the food edible." Adina took a forkful from her own plate and shoved it in her mouth, attempting to hide a grimace as if to prove her point. Hermione sprinkled a little on her own plate, replacing the napkin over the container afterwards, but didn't feel like testing it out, though she was starving her appetite just wasn't there.

"So how are you enjoying our little town?" Adina smirked before Hermione could even answer.

"It's...different."

"Is it? It's been so long since I've been out of it. All of it before this seems a dream." Adina ate some more, taking a large enough portion that nearly depleted her little pile of goop, more than likely a way to eat and be done with it.

"I know the feeling." Hermione said, "The past five years have gone so quickly for me, like they never happened." She smirked a little at her own joke.

"You lucked out arriving on the day of Harry's birth. That problem you caused with The Whip would usually be more endangering."

"The Whip." Hermione repeated, amused, and then blushed. "I didn't mean for it to happen." She whispered, uneasily remembering the cries of pain from the girls being crucio'd in front of her.

"No one ever does." Adina sighed. "It happens with everyone. Sooner or later they cause a bit of trouble, Christy there managed to spill her whole cauldron right before the end of the day when she first arrived."

"We were never supposed to bring that up again." Christy groaned, Hermione becoming aware that she and Lori had been listening after all.

"Spent the whole night scrubbing that floor with my hands until it shined my reflection in the dirt."

"At least you didn't have to ingest it." Lori broke in with a snort of her own. "Word of warning, you make a potion wrong and they make you take it."

"Good to know." Hermione nodded. Adina giggled.

"How long does The Whip hold grudges for? I have a feeling I'll be dealing with the lesser appreciated ingredients for a while." Hermione asked and Christy sent her a look of sympathy.

"We've seen it go on for a month, but that doesn't mean it's a real grudge." Lori answered, she pouted slightly and leaned closer to Hermione. "If she really didn't like you, you'd be in the dungeons."

Hermione lifted her head, Lori bit her lip.

"Last winter there was a girl who could brew a potion faster and better than any of us combined, I mean she was the real deal when it came to potion making. Whip overheard her telling her table that it was too easy, she pined for a more difficult potion. The next day everything had gone wrong, from her cauldron being dirty to her knife disappearing. Poor thing. Tragic, really. You see, when The Whip walked by her and inquired as to the lack of supplies in her bin, she turned around, wand in hand, and it malfunctioned-"

"-Exploded." Christy corrected. Lori nodded her head.

"-Exploded. Out of nowhere, sparks and smoke. She didn't cause it, couldn't have, there wasn't any time to even think about a hex. The Whip was as seething as she was bloody. Didn't stop her from marching the girl straight to the Ministry and the dungeons."

"The leaders all deny having a hand in the things that went wrong, but we know they set her up." Christy stated. Hermione was mortified, jaw slightly dropped and wide eyed as she listened.

"What happened to the girl? Did she get out?" She asked, but Lori and Christy only shook their heads.

"Never saw her again." Lori said.

"Phil mentioned seeing her right after. Didn't look good." Christy added.

"Does she send everyone to the dungeon that makes her that angry?" Hermione asked knowing all too well that the question was a little too straightforward, but an idea had begun to fill her head. Lori furrowed her brow at Hermione while Christy only shrugged.

"As far as we know, yes. There has been a time or two she's taken care of business herself, but one way or another the outcome of it isn't pleasant." Christy said and Hermione nodded, blindly taking a forkful of food into her mouth and not realizing it until she found herself forcing back a coughing fit. If it had tasted this bad now, she could only wonder how it would have tasted before sprinkling whatever it was Adina had given her onto it. She grabbed for her napkin, spitting out what she could in between coughing when a hand patted her back hard.

"The first bite is always the worst. You'll get used to it." Abe smiled down at her softly, then leaned against the table, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Having a good day?" He asked to no one in particular, receiving grumbles in reply. Hermione pounded at her chest with an open hand.

"We were just talking about The Whip and her cruel and unusual punishments." She said, finally able to breathe right again. Abe rolled his eyes.

"She's bad, but we have it worse in the other warehouse trust you, me."

There were a few scoffs from Lori, Christy's lip curled.

"Aches and pains from hard work and labor, at least you guys get to socialize a bit." Adina giggled slightly. "You couldn't even imagine having to go a full day without being so much as looking at your partner before getting the sharp end of a wand at your back."

"Torture, I'm sure." Abe agreed. Hermione watched the exchange smiling, it was playful given the tone they were bickering in, but her mind was elsewhere.

Opportunity had revealed itself, she only had to find a way to initiate the action of getting herself thrown into the dungeon. She'd have to come up with some way to anger The Whip enough to have her take her there. She was certain she'd find Severus there, if what Phil had said was true, the only thing she was uncertain about was the ease in which she'd be able to find him and get to him. Noticing the bickering had stopped, she turned to Abe and tilted her head.

"Have you heard from Phil? I've worried about him since he made the distraction." Hermione had worried about him, but only a little; after the night had passed, he hadn't been much in her mind at all.

"I'm sure he's well adjusted to his cot by now. As we said, he spends his fair share of time in the Palace."

"Right." Hermione nodded, then after a second of silence added, "they don't allow visitors, do they? I mean I have to thank him sometime for saving us."

"You very well know the answer to that question, don't you?" Abe answered sarcastically. Christy chuckled.

"That would be the day. Visitors in the dungeons. They want your stay there as grim and as lonely as possible."

"You think the food is horrible here. Just you watch, when he gets out of there he'll be feasting on this like it's ice cream." Abe grabbed the fork from Hermione's plate and lifted a glob of it out of her dish, letting it fall back down where it landed with a smack. Hermione swallowed.

"I think I'm going to head back early." Hermione said, her nose wrinkling at her plate and she rose from her seat.

"You can tell she's new. Such a hurry to get back to work." Lori teased. Hermione narrowed her eyes playfully. Abe stepped away from the table and walked with Hermione, waving a hand to the group as they left. They didn't get far before he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Does the dungeon get visitors? Really?" He asked under his breath, eyes surveying those around them. Hermione glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It was a sincere question. We should make an effort to thank him."

"Maybe so, but I think your judgement is better than that."

Abe grabbed her arm when they stepped out of the door. She turned around to find him looking deeply at her, studying her. She glanced away.

"I don't know how much you've figured out already, but Phil and I, we had been expecting you to show up sometime." He dropped her arm.

"That had crossed my mind." Hermione stared at him. "Or do you two make a habit of cornering new people in a tiny room right after they arrive?"

"We didn't mean to make you feel cornered. And no, we've only spoken to the arrivals that fit your description."

"Uh-huh." Hermione nodded. "Go on."

Ave sighed.

"Look, Phil's the one who should really be explaining this, he's more familiar with what has been happening. I can only give you information on what I know."

"Please enlighten me."

"It all comes back to the guy you know, Snape?" Abe watched Hermione at the mention of his name, she straightened up, nodding. "I've been kept in the dark about most of their conversations, but Phil had told me he met him in the dungeon, being thrown in there by a Death Eater who seemed to know who he was, mentioning that a girl should be showing up sometime to rescue him. If you knew Phil, then you'd know this would strike his interest, and after a few more visits down there he was able to coax from him about you."

"I need to get to him." Hermione said. "It's very important that I do and the longer I wait, I have a feeling the more difficult that is going to be."

"Snape said you were intelligent, one of the smartest witches he's ever met. I'm sure you'll find a way to get to him, but please don't rush this. Phil would have my hide if anything happened to you while he's in there."

"How long will he be in there?" Hermione asked. "I can't be expected to just sit around and wait for him to get out of there."

"I don't know how long they plan to keep him this time, but Hermione, there are ways, legal ways to get down into that building without some elaborate scheme having to take place."

An echo of a buzzer filled the air around them, the signal of their lunch break being over. Abe began to step away from her.

"I'll see you at dinner and we can talk more, okay? I'll help you get in there if you really can't wait, just don't go making a fool of yourself sneaking around to do it."

Hermione heaved a sigh and gave a lazy nod, turning in the direction of the barn, not looking forward to spending the rest of the day chopping liver.


	26. Chapter 26

Somehow she had managed to let opportunity flutter away. Twice she had been presented a way to aggravate Whip to the point of dungeon punishment, and found Abe's voice in her head coaching her not to do it. How easy it would have been to sneak a piece of liver into the woman's freshly pressed pocket, or make a piece that stuck to her own finger fly at her with just a shake of her finger. Surely, the time a small slip of paper that had fallen from her pocket right next to her foot would have been a ticket had she the gumption to reach down and snatch it, making sure the lady would have seen her clearly take it, but no.

There's a safer way, a better way.

And so, she left the liver on her chopping board and ignored the paper against her foot. Abe had scouted her out at dinner and with a sharp look to the other girls had pulled her aside, alone, where they had found a corner to themselves, granted they were eating while sitting on the floor, but no one had bothered them. Abe had spent time in the dungeons twice; the first time just after he first arrived when he had attempted an escape, being caught just as he reached the outskirts of the town, and the second time for accidentally dropping a large crate of supplies he was floating to the top shelves. He'd managed to ruin the majority of the contents and it wasn't seen as an accident. According to his leaders, it was an act of defiance and had been their word against his.

What Hermione did take away from him was the layout of the building in whole. The visible section, what was above ground, had been turned into living quarters for Voldemort and his trusted followers. The Ministry still sounded the same, save for floors that were turned accommodating to the business that was now taking place. She now knew the Prisoner's Palace was located seven stories under ground, the floor which used to be home for the Department of Magical Games and Sports back in her time. Hermione wondered if the floor had been changed to what it was on purpose in some twisted sense of humor. However much of a game this was for Voldemort, she was forced to be a contestant and found it quite unfair she had gotten into it without a rule book or knowledge of how this game was played.

Abe had again made her promise to not act upon haste. He made it clear he understood that she wanted to get to Severus, but preemptively seeking him out before a solid plan was made could cause her more damage, or worse, get Severus killed. He reminded her that Phil was in there, and that was all she needed, though it was hard to believe.

When she had reached her room that night, she had wanted nothing more than to fall into her bed face first, and allow the world to disappear from around her. She barely made it halfway across the room before the leader assigned to guard them that night had grabbed her by the arm, her fingers tightening around her skin like a snake as she consoled a clipboard.

"You Granger?" She asked. Hermione hesitantly nodded, her mind racing with dreadful thoughts to come up with a reason she'd be stopped and addressed.

"You're on a delivery tonight." The leader said, top lip lifting to show a row of rotting teeth that would otherwise been a pretty smile had she taken steps to better oral care. "Aren't you a lucky one." She released her arm roughly, shoving her back at the door.

"Delivery?" Hermione asked and the leader lost her attempted smile.

"Potions to the infirmary."

"The infirm-" Hermione's stomach leapt a little in excitement, she'd be getting into the Ministry.

"I'd hop to it if you expect to get any sleep tonight." She chuckled maliciously in a way that made Hermione guess sleep would not be a lengthy visitor that night. Somehow she felt is was worth it, she'd be inside the Ministry, she'd be on the verge of forming a plan.

She had gone to the barn first where a group of her own peers handed her a box much heavier than it looked, in it had been that day's worth of brewed potions all shrunken down and carefully placed in the box in her arms. She nearly dropped it upon lifting it for the first time, to which the girls had screamed in angst. If anything, Hermione figured she could sacrifice one box on a future delivery, surely destroying a hard day's work would get her a place in the dungeons. She wanted to see it first, though. Experience the ins and outs through her own eyes before she'd send herself there. Before she had even reached the Ministry, about the time her arms lost feeling from the heavy weight of the box, she had decided on her first innocent mistake.

The doors above ground had swung open on their own, as if they'd seen her coming, and revealed a large, barren entry way. An elevator had appeared in front of her, those doors also sliding open to welcome her in, hungry for a visitor. She stepped in, placing the box on the ground between her feet so she could turn the lever that would take her to her floor. She had watched the attendant usually copped up inside work it a thousand times enough to know how it worked and each floor by heart, and the freedom to use it now, on her own, had her hands shaking. The infirmary would have been on level three, what was once the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, already conveniently stocked and prepared to become a hospital to the injured and sick, and she hesitated for only a second before plunging the lever past that number, pulling it down to seven, lurching as the lift took off at a high speed. Her stomach dropped as fast as the floors fell away from her, and jolted to a stop just as fast as the doors spread open again. She took a deep breath and stepped out, the doors sliding shut gently behind her, the sound of the lift whizzing back up to it's resting floor leaving her feeling alone.

The Department of Magical Games and Sports had been nothing but offices and cubicles, a very different scene than the wide, empty room she was looking at now. There was nothing but bare walls around her, stony and plain. Not a prisoner, or a Palace in sight. Nothing.

She gritted her teeth, already planning on how to tell Abe off, doubting herself for putting so much trust into someone she barely knew; another naive move on her part in a world she was responsible for changing. Her shoulders slumped, she turned around and feeling defeated, pushed the call button to bring the lift back down.

She heard a cough.

She wasn't alone.

She turned around again, still to an empty room. She dug her wand out of her pocket and lit the tip to provide more light.

The cough happened again, this time hacking. There was definitely someone in there with her, but why couldn't she see them? She stepped forward slowly, raising her wand higher, scanning the walls and space until she ran hard into a wall of air. Her free hand she lifted now, feeling the empty area and a solid wall of nothing, an invisible barrier. Her breath hitched and she let out a laugh of relief.

"Hello?" She called out. "Who's in here?"

The cough happened again and she carefully felt her way along the invisible wall, following the coughing.

"Severus?" She asked, hoping for a reply and half startled when she got one.

"Hermione?" His voice was weak, still across the room, and though she couldn't see where it was coming from, she could listen for it.

"Severus!" She called again, hearing her name, calling again, hearing it, calling again...she followed it until the voice was right next to her ear, unmistakable and clear. She stared at the empty space in front of her, palms of her hands pressing on the flat wall of air. "I can't see you, are you alright?"

"I can't see you either." He answered. "But Merlin am I glad to hear your voice again."

"We need to get out of here. I'm afraid I've messed things up. Voldemort's in power, they've got Squibs and Muggle Borns working in factories-"

"-I know." Severus interrupted. "I may have spent the last five years in this cell, but I am aware of what's been happening."

Hermione sighed. It was so easy to forget that although for her it had only been a couple of days for her, Severus had spent every long hour for the past five years experiencing this world change and grow.

"I'm sorry." Hermione leaned against the invisible barrier and allowed herself to slide down the wall until she was sitting on the floor.

"No apology needed. What's done is done."

"And what has been done?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean when I left, when I jumped through the glass, what happened? How did you end up in here?"

"Oh." Severus cleared his throat. "Not one of my better moments, I'll have you warned. When you jumped through I was surrounded and overtaken."

"So you were immediately thrown into this captivity." Hermione stared.

"No, not immediately. We apparated back to Potter's house where they tried to get me to join their side."

Hermione remembered the moment she had seen the Dark Mark on their arms just before she touched the mirror.

"I told them I never would. For two days they kept me before delivering me to You-Know-Who." Severus paused. "He had wanted me gone, my betrayal of helping you and resistance of giving any information did not sit well with him. But you were the reason I was allowed to keep my life. Still are."

"They wanted me to search for you." Hermione concluded.

"Yes." Severus confirmed. "You need to get out of here, Hermione." He pleaded, a certain urge in his voice. "Once they catch wind that you're here, well so can't even begin to imagine what is going to happen. You-Know-Who knows about your previous future and will more than likely stop at nothing to get information the Marauders haven't been able to tell him."

"I've been working on a plan to escape. Finding you and getting you out of your cell was the first on my list."

"No." Severus ordered. "You need to get yourself out of here, even without me. You can trust Lupin, he's been in contact with the Weasley's who are prepared to hide you."

"No, I'm not leaving without you."

The sound of the elevator opening startled her, drawing her attention. The doors slid open and the extra light illuminated the room for only a moment before the doors slid closed. It had been empty, she had called it and scolded herself for forgetting and scaring herself.

"What about Phil and Abe?" She asked. "Abe said Phil had spoken to you, to keep an eye out for me."

"Here is not the place to discuss things like that, but you can add them to our list of allies."

"Are you sure? He seems a little..."

"...I can hear you, you know." Phil's voice drifted from another invisible cell somewhere closer to the lift. Hermione blushed and put her face in her hands. She heard Severus chuckling.

"I'm sorry." She muttered. "Intense. I was going to say intense."

"Uh-huh."

She could see Phil sarcastically rolling his eyes in her mind.

"He has his reasons, Hermione. More than you know."

"If you insist...wait a minute." Hermione was drawn to the lift again, hearing it moving, stopping on their floor, and this time when the doors slid open she saw a black cloaked person standing inside, looking down at the box of potions she had left in there. Slowly, he raised his head, his Death Eater mask glittering, and caught Hermione. Taking one slow step out of the lift, wand raised at her just as she raised hers, the tip of his flicked and her wand was lost from her grip. It flew straight to him, which he caught in his free hand. She stood quickly.

"What's going on?" She heard Severus ask, but before she could answer, the Death Eater had appeared in front of her, head tilted, hands gripping both of her arms. The eyes behind the eye holes seemed to be grinning and before she could protest, had been blinked out of the dungeon.


	27. Chapter 27

Hermione was pushed through a doorway, one that loomed dark and dangerously, the kind she would have rather ignored had she been on her own. It was by choice of the Death Eater behind her that she went through and found herself standing among a gathering of even more dark robes, those in this room had their masks off and laying on a large table they all sat around. She had only recognized one of them, Lucius, as he had been near the head of the table and only lifted his chin at her arrival.

"Found this one hanging around the dungeon. Ironically I do believe she is also the one we were advised to watch for." The Death Eater behind her spoke, and she chanced a look over her shoulder just as he removed his mask. Sirius had done nothing more but glance over her shoulder, ignoring her as if they'd never met, shoving her forward closer to the table. Her jaw dropping open, she couldn't speak in her own defense as she was at a loss of words. Sirius had pulled the wand he snatched from her from his robes, tossing it into the middle of the table where it landed among the masks.

"She had that on her. I dare say she's a thief as well as a phony."

Hermione crossed her arms defensively over her chest and opened her mouth once more to protest even though it would be nothing but bowls and garbled sounds, but another man behind her beat her to it. She heard paper crumbling in his hand and his chair scraping the floor as he stood.

"Black claims you to be Hermione Jean Granger. The very one born on September the nineteenth, Nineteen-Seventy Nine. Do you agree or deny these claims?"

"I am Hermione." She stated, turning a half circle to face the man squinting at her. He raised the hand holding the paper.

"A ten month old, born to Muggles Mr. And Mrs. Granger in England, Great Britain?" He sounded astounded and when Hermione nodded, he burst into laughter, the room following suit. She turned back to Sirius who stood in the same spot looking smug.

"Quite a fine plan to try and hide from detection, taking the identity of a babe." Another man said, this one raising to his feet and gliding to stand next to Sirius. "Punishable by death, I'm sure." He pulled his wand, Hermione tensed.

"Let's not be too hasty, now." Sirius turned to the man at his side. "I would like to hear her excuse. It might be amusing."

She glared at him, he only grinned in return.

"I don't think that's necessary." Came another voice from a dark corner of the room, one that belonged to Lily, who soon stepped into their space, putting herself between Sirius and Hermione.

"Out of the way, Potter. It would be a shame to get caught in a spell not meant for you." The man next to Sirius barked. Lily didn't move, she continued to stand there in front of a wand pointed for Hermione, exchanging a tired look between the men.

"Sirius knows as well as I do this woman is Hermione Granger. We went to school with her before this document says she was born. Whatever vendetta he has against her should have you questioning the birth certificate's authenticity rather than Hermione, herself." Lily turned around, the room filling with muttering, and she looked at Hermione. She tried to smile, but it was hard; Lily looked tired and sickly. Her cheekbones jumped out of her face, the toned muscle she had last time she saw her had melted away leaving just a frame. Her eyes felt lifeless when Hermione looked into them. Lily took Hermione by an arm.

"Besides, doing away with her before the Dark Lord has a chance to mediate the situation will get most of you on the black list."

Hermione followed Lily into the lift willingly, catching the confused and disapproving looks from the others, Sirius sending her one last glare before the doors slid shut. When they were in privacy, Hermione turned to Lily.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. It's really good to see you."

Lily tried to look sincere, but it had been stamped out of her somewhere along the past five years.

"Good to see you too." It sounded blank, without emotion. "You'll have to excuse the mess, we weren't expecting company."

As if it was a command, the lift doors slid open and Hermione was brought into a brightly lit room before the meaning of those words could register in her mind. It looked like an apartment, an elaborate flat filled with the riches serving the Dark Lord could bring. Lily had everything she could want, fine gadgets and furniture filled the floor space while expensive art and portraits filled the walls. Even the sound of a baby whimpering in the background made it feel like a home had been made, the only give away of an unhappy life was Lily, who had only sauntered into a room, leaving Hermione alone in a large sitting area. She appeared seconds later bouncing a baby in her arms, Hermione, unable to keep a grin away, had immediately swept up to her and produced a finger for the baby to hold onto.

"Hi, Harry." She cooed, feeling his soft skin, her thumb brushing against the folds of skin at his chin. Lily shifted the baby, both hands pushing the child into Hermione's arms then hugged herself as if to fill the void. She watched Hermione cradle the baby in her arm, a free hand caressing the soft, downy hair. She turned her torso gently, rocking Harry lightly until his whimpers subsided.

It felt good to touch his skin, to see a part of her future breathing in her arms, but also pulled a sadness forth. It seemed ages ago she had expected her own bundle of joy and wondered if she'd ever get it back. The thought made her cling even more tightly to Harry.

"So it's true then? You're from the future?" Lily asked, blank eyes stuck on Harry. Hermione bit her lip and she nodded.

"Yes. Merlin, Lily, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. I should have at the least trusted you."

"When James explained it to me I doubted him. Thought he had gone nutters, that he had wanted to set you up for something."

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least if that is...was his intention. He did use blackmail after all to get information from me."

"Hmm." Lily hummed an uncertain agreement, Hermione watched her walk away, still hugging herself, to sit on the arm of a sofa.

"There's still a lot of things he keeps hidden from me. I've given up trying to figure things out. What I have figured out, I can't understand." Lily sighed. "He has only explained to me that Harry is the only reason, the only way we would both live and not end up like my parents."

Hermione lifted Harry to lay against her shoulder. She stole a moment to breath against his hair, the scent of fresh baby, and the sound of his breath caused her to smile gently to herself. She stepped lightly to the sofa, where she sat down, Lily turning on the arm to see her, tucking a foot underneath her.

"I had seen the Mark on his arm right before I jumped into this year." Hermione said. "Can I ask how that happened?"

Lily regarded Hermione then gave in with a huff, a hand wiping against her forehead as if the memory was a stubborn stain she couldn't remove.

"After you had spoken with him and told him what was to become of him and me, he went to Sirius wanting help in keeping that from happening. He wanted a plan to be made to prevent even the slightest of injury to happen and everything was fine for a bit, he and his friends brainstormed genius ideas until the Dark Lord had called upon him himself. There was a snitch in the pack, or rat, rather, that had been passing on pieces of information to him, squeaking little details of the future as he obtained them." Her face wrinkled up into a fit of hatred. Hermione's eyes slid closed.

"Pettigrew." Hermione whispered.

"Pettigrew." Lily repeated. "You-Know-Who only gave one chance to join that night, on their own accord, promising a great future, power, all the things you know James would love, but he turned him down, as did the rest of them...besides Peter of course."

Hermione blindly brushed her fingers against Harry's back, patting him gently, staring at the floor as she tried imagining the Marauders in Voldemort's presence, saying no directly to him, the controlled anger that Voldemort would have at hearing the offer being turned down, the fire in his eyes for revenge, for getting his way in the end of things, while Pettigrew, unsure and shaking stood there trying to hide from it all.

"It all seemed like a dream after they got back, James later told me it could have been for how quickly it was over and how normal life seemed afterward, the days carrying on like it never happened, Sirius, Remus and James having to assure themselves that they all experienced it and it was in fact real. And then it happened."

Hermione lifted her eyes away from the floor and to Lily.

"Voldemort attacked my family, destroyed my house, killed my parents. I was unaware at the time of what had happened and was certain that Severus had been behind it, he had talked about wanting to join, and thought that maybe it was some kind of initiation, some sick way of proving his worthiness, I'd broken his heart time and time again, why not go for mine." Lily let out a snort, Hermione sucking the whole of her lower lip between her teeth at this.

"Then James had heard of what happened, I'm guessing through the infamous grapevine at Hogwarts, and before I could even grieve for my own family, had explained to me what had happened. That it was the Dark Lord who had murdered them, a warning of sorts to show just what denying him would cause. Less than twenty-four hours later, he accepted his offer, Sirius and Remus alongside of course, not wanting James or me to be alone in this situation, and the rest, well..." Lily lifted her hand and swept it around the room.

Harry had cried, as if he could feel Hermione's emotions and done it for her. What started out as a whimper, soon became louder and stronger. Lily held out her hands and though reluctantly, Hermione handed the baby over to her. His cries softened, but did not stop. Lily stood, bouncing and rocking Harry with every step, Hermione watching from the couch. Again she was blaming herself, feeling downright awful for allowing herself to so easily explain a future to James who couldn't keep it to himself. She had expected him to tell Sirius, they were best friends and knew from her own closeness with Harry and Ron, secrets that good were not meant to be kept, but what happened afterwards was the problem that led to all of this. All because of her.

"I'm so sorry." Hermione whispered shakily, letting Harry do most of the crying for her. Lily did not reply, ignoring her felt more appropriate as she concentrated on her child.

"I had told James of his future trusting that he'd allow things to happen naturally, not try to go and fix it."

"I don't doubt your intentions." Lily replied. "And I don't blame you for what's happened. We are still alive, after all, and can remain so as long as we abide by the Dark Lord." Lily's lips curled slightly, hopefully, but Hermione still felt awful.

"He wants Harry, the child prophesied to be his undoing, to harness that power and turn it into something he can control, to raise and preen in his likeness-"

"-which was my idea, of course." James interrupted entering the room from the lift, a dark robe tossed over his arm, that hand dangling a silvery mask from his fingers. He disposed of the clothing on an empty armchair and went to Lily, who forced herself to remain still for a kiss he placed against her temple, and had no choice but to let him take Harry from her arms. James stared darkly at Hermione, who stood, staring just as darkly back at him.

"Granger." He greeted, sounding cordial, she returned it with a nod.

"Catching up, were you? Please don't let me interrupt your little reunion."

"I was just about to leave." Hermione said, not wanting to give James the pleasure of thinking he'd be interrupting anything. He lifted his eyebrows as if the news shocked him.

"I highly doubt that." He breathed, then extended a hand. "It would be my pleasure to accompany you out, if that is the case."

Lily turned to Hermione.

"You don't need to leave, you're welcome to stay."

"Thank you, but I must get back. Early morning."

Lily looked next to James, pointedly.

"She remains unharmed, James. I mean it. You do one thing to hurt her and I'll make your life a living hell."

"You already have." James muttered. Hermione couldn't help but snicker.

"I'm sorry?" Lily asked, stepping forward to remove Harry from his arms, her tone saying she had heard him clearly and was giving him a chance to change his reply. He raised his hands in defense when they were freed of the baby.

"Fine, fine." He said. "No harm. You have my word."

He took Hermione by her arm, and ushered her into the lift. She wanted nothing more than to get his hand off her, but judging by the tightening of his fingers when she fidgeted under them, knew she'd just have to endure and watched Lily and Harry disappear behind the closing lift doors.

"Enjoying your time here?" James asked as they were moved downward. "Is it everything you thought it would be?"

"It's been quite comfortable." Hermione replied sourly. "Feel quite welcomed, actually."

"Good. You'll let us know if there's anything we can do to make your stay any better, of course."

Hermione wanted to cuss him out, she wanted to grab her wand and jab it somewhere in his body, threatening him with hexes she didn't know existed until someone pulled her off of him, but thought twice about it. Her tongue started to hurt where she was biting it so hard, and it seemed her silence only aggravated James that much more as he had swung her around to face him.

"Just stay out of it." He hissed. "Whatever planning is going on in that head of yours right now-don't try to deny it, Granger-will only cause us more problems. Keep your head low, and let us take care of it."

"Taking care of it?" Hermione whispered harshly. "What have you done in the past five years that's been considered 'taking care of it?'" She yanked her arm, wanting to free it, but James didn't give. His fingers still remained dug into her skin.

"We're still alive, aren't we? Lily's had nothing but luxury in place of a worn mattress and blistered fingers from the barracks and shops, we're in the circle, able to stay one step ahead of the Dark Lord before anything bad could come about-"

"-but you're still here." Hermione set her eyes upon him with conviction. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you've been enjoying your time kneeling at the hem of You-Know-Who and milking it for all it's worth."

"You know nothing." James sneered, "It's taken a lot of sacrifice to be respected in this way of living."

"Do you think Lily enjoys this? And giving Harry up to Voldemo-" James's fingers pinched Hermione's arms, she yelped and wiggled until he let up. "He'll destroy him. There's nothing good about going about this in the way that you are."

"We've been promised a good life."

"His promises mean nothing in the end."

A cheery sounding bell rang signaling they had reached the ground floor that silenced James. The doors began to slide open, and he broke his glare away from her, marching her forward more forcefully now, until they reached the front door. Yanking them open, Hermione saw a group of masked Death Eaters waiting for them on the outside who turned and stared at her.

"Make sure she gets back to her barracks." He demanded, the arm on her hand shoving her at them, their grip just as tight as they caught her, but she didn't struggle, in fact, she urged them to walk with her, wanting to get away from James, wanting to get back to her own bed.


	28. Chapter 28

An orange cat had curled itself upon her pillow and she had hated the thought of moving it away, remaining for a moment to watch it sleep. It had to be part Kneazle, reminding her so much of her own cat, Crookshanks, that when she reached out and brushed her hand along its fur, it's orange eyes that opened slightly caused goosebumps to prickle along her arms.

Nonsense. She thought to herself. There's many cats that look alike.

The cat worked it's paws a few times, a deep and throaty purr that lasted only seconds grew loud as its jaws widened for a yawn, exposing its sharp teeth, and then a pink tongue that licked at its mouth and nose right after, satisfied. As if the cat understood, it stood up, stretching first by extending the front paws ahead of it, raising its tail as high as it would go, and then shifted quickly to raising its hind legs, one at a time, before moving aside, freeing the pillow it had been using. Without a second thought, Hermione let herself fall upon it, her eyes closing, and welcomed the cat as it snuggled up beside her, its paws kneading on her head, as if it knew there was no better cure for whatever it was that ailed her than a good head massage, her last thought being that she hadn't taken the box of potions to the infirmary like she was supposed to, seeing the box on the floor of the elevator flash behind her eyelids.

She didn't remember falling asleep, it had come on so quickly and painlessly that when she opened her eyes it shocked her to see the orange and pink sky of an early morning sunrise through the windows. Though it felt like the sleep had done nothing to ease her stress, she did feel better rested than when she closed her eyes, and upon remembering the cat, had sat up expecting to see it right beside her, more saddened than she should have been to not even find a hair left behind. It was enjoyable to feel the paws bending against her head, the same treatment her own cat had given her on a nightly basis, but remembering the potions had left an empty rumble in her stomach, fearing that she'd end up on the wrong side of The Whip's wand sometime that day.

She had been one of the first few awake, which had presented her with a chance to get a spot in front of the group that had gathered, all tiredly marching forward to the barn, forcibly making their feet move toward another hard day slaving over a cauldron, and also allowing Hermione to snatch a spot near the door. It was cooler here; the further back portions of the barn rarely felt a breeze or any air flow, making it hard to make it through the day feeling well. Somehow it even helped making potion brewing enjoyable, just the difference of feeling cool and able to breathe instead of stuffy and claustrophobic.

When she stopped at her cauldron, her list appeared along with a wand. It wasn't smooth, like her own which had been kept by the Death Eaters, but worn, with a handle that felt loose. It was obviously made from some kind of generic wood, daresay it was even plastic judging by the rubbery feel it had. When she waved it over the cauldron, it sparked to life, just as her own wand had done, and had called fourth the amount of grasshoppers she needed. It seemed perfectly normal, though she wouldn't trust it as far as she could throw it.

"It's conformed just for brewing." The girl next to her whispered, and she raised her own wand to let Hermione see it. It looked exactly the same as hers, she guessed it felt the same too, and began noticing that every woman around her had one to match. Hermione sighed heavily, missing her own wand, angry at herself for getting it taken in the first place, deciding that there was nothing more she could do about it at that moment, though she'd need it back before she could escape. What use was a wand used only for brewing potion outside of this place?

The potion she had brewed had been unfamiliar to her, unable to recall any of the ingredients used as one she had ever made before, and trying to guess what the ending liquid could have been filled her time, giving her something to keep her mind busy in between thinking of Lily and Harry. Glad they were still alive, if even for the moment, she wondered if it would be worth it to plan an escape that could also take them with her and Severus. It would mean more people, which would mean taking more time to find excuses and reasoning for everything to fall into place. Maybe, after she and Severus got out of there, they could go back and rescue Lily and Harry, or one of them could at least. Yes, that sounded better, sending only one person, leaving the other on the outside in the event the rescue would be thwarted.

Then there was also Abe and Phill. Hermione felt they were strong and dependable people, though she had no idea how they handled a wand, or if they knew enough to assist in an escape. Would they be worth it? If they came along, or if they were included in the rescue plan, would they be worth getting caught for? She'd have to think more on it. Get to know them better, ask them questions that would allow her to see what they were like and how they would act under attack from an enemy.

How she missed Ron and Harry just then. She never realized it before, but they were quite competent and helpful in everything they faced. Sure she did their fair share of homework and had been the brains behind half of their plans during their seventh year, but she could count on them to at least do something that would put any situation in their favor.

Hermione caught herself a few times so deep in thought throughout the day that she nearly ruined her potion; almost stirring the wrong way, almost adding in something before it was time that getting herself to stop thinking about escape was now her plan. It was harder than she expected, but somehow managed to make it through the day. The end came shortly after her stomach had begun to grumble with hunger, having eaten nothing that morning, and been too anxious during lunch to get more than an apple down, supper would taste delicious even though it would be the same gruel she'd forced herself to eat since she arrived.

Following the crowd, she had spotted one Sirius Black wearing business casual robes pushing a bone-thin Severus in front of him. She kept a steady and trains eye as she fought the crowd to get closer to them, mostly shocked by Severus's starved appearance. Last time she had seen him, he had been thin, but at least looked healthy, like he had at least one meal every day, this just looked painful to her, her own hunger becoming less important suddenly.

"Severus!" She called before she could even think about the repercussions and he snapped his head around, searching for her. He spotted her just as Sirius did, who had also heard her call, a few people in the crowd around them looking fearful as they noticed Sirius and gave him wide berth as he turned on his heel and made his way toward her. Severus lurched to follow and it became apparent that he had been tethered somehow, an invisible leash keeping him close by. Her breathing was shallow, she was shaking from a sudden rush of anticipation, and didn't think twice about running toward them and threw her arms around Severus when the gap closed.

"Isn't this sweet." Sirius said, charmingly as he watched Hermione and Severus hug. "I've always hated reunions." And before another second had past, he lifted a hand that held a wand, a blast of air separating the two of them. Hermione restrained herself from returning to Severus's embrace knowing she was lucky enough to get the first one without ending in pain, not brace enough to see what would happen for another.

"Didn't expect to run into you so soon after our little meeting last night." Sirius said, his hand lowering and resting at his hip. She didn't acknowledge his greeting, stuck on looking at Severus, his eyes sunken and darker than she had ever seen them, his nose just barely a thin hook between prominent cheek bones. She wanted to grab him, to get out of there right then and there and her fingers brushed against her pocket, feeling the outline of her wand, knowing that it would be futile to even try it with the one she had.

"Shocking, isn't it-what time can do to a man, but have no worries," He looked between Severus and Hermione, his tongue flicking at the corner of his mouth with a growing smirk, "it was relatively painless for him to be transformed from something worthless to something forgotten."

Hermione's hands were fisting up, she knew he was trying to get a rise out of her and it was working, she just wouldn't give in to showing it.

"Obviously not forgotten." She said. "I still remember him quite well."

"And that's a shame. I really don't see what you see in him." He clicked his tongue, Severus didn't even flinch and Hermione had guessed he had heard too many insults to even care anymore, he had been under Sirius, and the rest of that group's watch for the past five years.

"And you never will."

Severus raised his eyes, looking at her and she looked back at him, a moment she wished could last, but Sirius who had grown jealous of their exchange, flicked his wand and Severus was yanked down to his knees, their connection broken.

"You owe me, you know." Sirius said casually, Hermione's face wrinkling in confusion.

"I owe you?"

"And you admit it." Sirius grinned, Hermione's mouth gaped.

"That was a question, not an agreement."

"It was the confession of a revelation you haven't yet come to." He gave her a moment to think, his grin growing darker, eyes flashing more deeply at her, and when she didn't immediately reply, he gave a deep chuckle.

"Something you failed to do last night?" He hinted. "The potions you were supposed to deliver to the infirmary?"

Hermione's confusion changed quickly into shock. Sirius began nodding slowly.

"I knew if they didn't get there that today would hold for you pain you had never experienced in your life. Being the caring and generous guy that I am, I delivered it for you." A beat passed and he took a small step toward her. "You owe me."

"I owe you a thank you." She took a small step back to his, but couldn't duck his hand that raised and brushed against her cheek. Her eyes flicked around them, everyone near going about their business like normal, not paying them any attention.

"A thank you is a great place to start, but not near enough to cover it."

"I think it's plenty." She pushed his hand away, but he grabbed her wrist, holding it securely, and pulled her closer.

"I think we can work something out, don't you? A few nights of fun, sway your views on the good-for-nothing here, show you what a real man is like?" His hand released her wrist, but in a flaw was on the small of her back, forcing her close to him until their hips were touching. She was struggling, he was smirking, his face inching toward her. He managed to catch half her lips with his as she turned her head, but couldn't lean back far enough to escape him, and then she was nearly knocked down as a great force seemed to rip him from her.

Stumbling backward, the back of her hand wiping furiously at her mouth, she saw Severus had pummeled Sirius to the ground and was on top of him, a hand rearing back, hand formed into a fist, ready to connect with Sirius's nose, Sirius confused over what had hit him and just recognizing Severus as his knuckles slammed into him, then another to his stomach that caused him to buck, but Severus did not fall off, instead he saw the wand in his hand and grabbed for it. Sirius tightened his fist on it, throwing his own punch at Severus, Hermione winching as she watched it meet his chin squarely on. Sirius, using this to his advantage, managed to flip them over, a few more punching from both parties, and a few victorious rolls that seem to blur together. Hermione bounced from foot to foot, clutching at her chest and mouth watching, holding her breath when it came to a standstill; Sirius had clutched his wand, pointing it straight at Severus's neck, and just like that, he was gripping at air, mouth gaping as if his air supply had been cut off and he was fighting for a breath. When Sirius could find his feet, his wand gave a flick and Severus wheezed in a breath, only to be brought down writhing and screaming in pain as another spell was cast, a Crucio as Hermione could tell, the characteristic arching of the back, the tightening muscles, the acknowledge of pain on his face that would take over the mind, not allowing room for any other thought to go through.

"Stop!" Hermione sobbed, "Stop." She stepped forward, hands outstretched to Severus, feeling the air for him, but a pair of arms had encircled her waist and she was brought off her feet and lifted backward.

"You don't want to get involved with this." Phil's voice rushed her ear, his strength too great for her to overcome and she only stopped trying when she was pulled away from the crowd, no longer able to see Severus twisting in pain through the crowd that had gathered to watch the disturbance. Phil grabbed her hand and led her away, she was sobbing too hard to care.


	29. Chapter 29

"I-Severu-I need to get back there, he needs help." Hermione tried twisting away from Phil, but he kept a tight hold on her wrist and led her down an alley, one familiar that led to the small underground rooms she had been brought to upon her first day there by Abe. She kept twisting, kept trying to return to the public square, but Phil would patiently drag her along, whispering calming words that he would be alright, that she needed to stay out of it to keep herself safe, that it wasn't anything Severus hadn't dealt with before.

Reaching the entrance to the rooms, Phil pulled her inside, down the hallway, and into the first room which had been empty and quiet. They were alone, unlike last time, and Hermione had quickly remembered Phil's odd behavior upon first meeting him. Knowing she could trust him still didn't quell the slight discomfort she had being alone with him now, and only just seemed to notice his grasp on her wrist, looking at his hand and long fingers easily holding it as he guided her into the sofa and sat beside her. Her mind was whirling, still with Severus as she did want to get back to him, worried that the brawl would have moved him, making her beginning plans of an escape futile, and also warily upon Phil, who had sat beside her, now turned toward her after freeing her from his hand.

It was the first time she actually got to look at him, see him without the makeup he had worn to look more like Voldemort, in clothes that made him appear more sane instead of a costume. He still had a wild look to his eyes that might have just been the will to survive this place now that she'd seen it for a while herself. They were filled with color and emotion, something the others' had lost. He had a shadow of a beard growing on his chin, and his appearance in general suggested he didn't exactly care about personal hygiene as much as someone like Abe had. The only thing keeping her calm had been the sudden appearance of a ginger cat, the same one that had kneaded her to sleep, bumping and winding its way over her feet and ankles.

"What's going to happen to him?" Hermione asked shakily.

"Sirius will seek his justice." His answer was soft, but carried all it needed to to keep Hermione from pressing any further. Phil shifted slightly. "He can take care of himself. It's always astounded me how easy he makes it look."

"He's strong." Hermione added.

"Indeed he is." Phil agreed, pulling the corner of his lower lip between his teeth as he carefully searched Hermione's face. "And so are you."

"I have to be." She said, looking at her hands in her lap that wrung themselves this way and that. "Don't I?" It sounded more affirmative, a reminder to herself than a question posed to Phil, but he agreed nevertheless with a nod.

"If we are to get through this, we all have to be strong."

"We?" Hermione looked away from her hands to glance up at Phil, still with his lip between his teeth, still regarding her with a deepened curiosity.

"We." He repeated finally and then broke his gaze to watch the far wall.

"He said I can trust you." She stated.

"You can."

"How do I-I mean how do we know we can?"

Phil's lips turned up slightly, amused, and he sighed.

"Abe hasn't told you much, has he?"

"He hasn't had much time to tell me much of anything."

"I don't doubt that." He snickered, suddenly running a hand through his hair and he stood up mumbling to himself as he pulled a wand from his pocket and swirled it in the air. A tray filled with a teapot and two cups appeared shortly after, of which Phil poured two servings and forced a cup into Hermione's hands. She latched onto it, the warmth from the ceramic calming on her fingers, watching the cat as it sat there regally, staring back at her, unblinking.

"In the dungeons, there are periods of time when they don't check on you, leaving you to your own musings. As you had seen on your own, or not seen rather, the walls hide everything from sight, yet we are able to hear everything. When Severus first arrived, I had been in my cell, wasting away from hunger. Forgotten. My first instinct as soon as I heard them enter was to gain their attention, but as I listened, what they were saying had caught my attention.

Sirius had wanted to do away with him as you could imagine, saying things like he hadn't been of help, that keeping him there knowing he had been a traitor to the Dark Lord was putting them at jeopardy, that the girl who had jumped through a piece of glass could be anywhere and it was pointless to think she'd be around any time soon." Phil looked pointedly at Hermione who stared blankly back at him, only moving to press her lips tighter together. Phil took his place on the couch again next to her, holding his cup in one hand. A spoon floated in the air, dumping a lump of sugar into it, and with a twirl of his fingers the spoon began swirling in his cup.

"I heard James tell him that this girl was too important to forget about, that she might be able to help them in the long run and that they owed her something, that as soon as Harry was born, they'd have at least a bit of leverage against You-Know-Who, that she beat him once and could do it again. The least they could do was save Severus for her, keep him alive and sane until she arrived even if it took a century of waiting, a sort of incentive for cooperation."

"James was trying to help me?" Hermione whispered. "But he attacked us, when I went through the glass he was trying to hurt us-"

"-he's a servant of the Dark Lord, Hermione. If his intentions are truly to help you then I would say you have sanctuary somewhere in that circle. I wouldn't be so quick to forgive and forget, however."

"You heard all this candidly, right? You were forgotten about after all, do they know you were eves dropping?"

"My hunger became stronger than my silence, I'm afraid. Before they could leave I got their attention."

Hermione winced. Phil chuckled.

"I ate the best that night than I had in my whole life. Promising to not out them to their leader, to keep what I heard silent, I managed to secure three hots and a comfy cot during any of my stays there."

"Wouldn't that tip Volde-You-Know-Who off? Getting all that special treatment?"

"Not necessarily. He could care less about what happens to the prisoners in his palace, the only thing he cares about is that it gets used."

Hermione sat back in the sofa, thumb rubbing against her cup, she watched Phil, still running his fingers in small circles, the spoon still following his command. The cat lifting a paw to lick it, seemingly bored with the story but not planning on leaving.

"You can do wandless magic." She pointed out and Phil's fingers finally stopped, the spoon freezing for a moment in time before clattering to the side of the cup, lifeless, with a ting, his hand dropping to his side.

"A few small things here and there, yes."

Hermione watched his cup, then looked back at hers. Phil, sensing the silence would last, continued.

"I had no idea who Severus was at the time, but this girl, as soon as they had mentioned she had defeated Him once, had left little doubt in my mind. I knew who she was, had seen her before with my own eyes and couldn't believe it when I had heard it. I was convinced that it was just some strange coincidence, they had spoken of someone else, but no matter how hard I had tried to puzzle it all together, the one thing I kept returning to was the fact that Severus was linked to the girl who had jumped though a piece of glass and had taken down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It had to of been the same person I was thinking of, and this glass she had jumped through...very curious, indeed."

Hermione shifted a bit uncomfortably now, using her knee to steady her cup, unable to avoid a glance at Phil who had raised an eyebrow over his hinting stare.

"When I was sure the Death Eaters had gone, and after my insatiable hunger had been satisfied, I had called out to this Severus, and asked him to tell me his story. He was a hard one to crack, but patience pulled off. I daringly opened up to him, telling him of my own experiences, and within the week had confirmed my suspicions. This girl was the exact one I had read about, week after week, the same girl who had stood by and aided The Boy Who Lived. This girl, Hermione Granger, was being waited for and I couldn't wait to help her."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, and then widened as she grasped what he was saying. Phil's donned a grin.

"I don't-I can't understand." She said breathlessly, although it was apparent that he just admitted to being around during her original time. "You remember me from that time?"

Phil gave a slow nod, his fingers picking themselves back up and he twirled them again, the spoon bouncing back to life and following the command with fervor as if it was happy to be put to work again.

"But how is that possible? That can't be possible unless you're a time traveler, too." She gasped.

"Yes." He said. Hermione's jaw falling open on its own.

"You were there in the second war?" She sounded like she still couldn't believe it. Phil nodded again, a continuance of his first, and then shrugged.

"Not exactly in the war, I observed it more or less." Phil lifted his cup to his lips, the spoon freezing so he could take a drink, and then allowed itself to be tossed about in the small currant of movement until it finally lifted itself out of the tea, tapped a couple of times against the rim, and floated back to the tray. "I was busy trying to locate my way home."

"The glass." Hermione sighed.

"The glass." Phil repeated. "As you've experienced, it's quite a tricky thing to keep track of. Never where you need it."

"But you obviously found it." Hermione looked around them, searching the room as if she needed proof they were still in nineteen-eighty and not suddenly back in her own comfort zone.

"I did, though it took years of painful searching."

"That's how you knew about me." Of course it made sense, having spent years there while she was still at Hogwarts, making headlines with Harry and Ron.

"How did you know about the glass?" She asked. "From what I gathered the only people who knew about it had been me and its creator."

"Creators." Phil corrected. "Let's not forget there was more than one person to invent it."

She looked to Phil in awe, her eyes rolling slightly in disbelief.

"You were Lovel Stemm's partner." She mumbled.

"Unfortunately so." Phil answered.

"Unfortunately? This was quite a breakthrough in time travel, I'd think that's more than unfortunate."

"Have you even met the guy?" He snickered. "He's as batty as they come. Mad. Genius, but mad."

"He seemed like your typical paranoid hermit when I spoke with him." Hermione said sarcastically. "I thought that was just due to the fact he had been driven crazy after your little mishap with not sending correspondence back to him. He felt awful about it, guilty for putting you in that position you know."

"As he should. I had sent the first few letters to him explaining that the glass shifts every time it was used, that it wasn't predictable, but he asked me to stay. For science, he said. If I had only gone back when I wanted too I wouldn't have gone through that war, nor would I be going through this one."

Hermione pouted, suddenly feeling guilt of the sympathetic nature. She was drawn to the cat again, who had been staring back at her, or, glaring was more the proper word for it. The eyes in the squished face had only been dark and impatient, and the loud mewl it let out was definitely not something happy. It's tail flicked as it stood, went over to Phil, and nibbled at his pant leg. Phil shook his foot, lightly kicking the cat away from him.

"How long did you stay?" Hermione asked, and Phil sighed heavily.

"When did you get your cat?"

"My cat?" Hermione asked, Phil nodded.

"What does that matter?"

"You asked me how long I was there, didn't you? I was in the Leaky Cauldron the day you and that red-headed family showed up to stay with Harry. I remember your cat causing a commotion with someone else's pet rat."

Hermione flicked her eyes back to the cat in the room with them, it was stubbornly headed back to Phil, eyes solid black and narrow. It's front paws lifted onto his knees, and the claws came out to dig into the fabric. Phil grimaced in pain, swatting the cat away.

"You hold on." He told it. "We're getting there." He looked back to Hermione. I had arrived in your time a few days prior to your stay at The Leaky Cauldron. I had given up searching shortly after that, time losing all meaning to me, and remained there until I read an interesting article in the paper early one morning. Mr. Arthur Weasley of the Ministry of Magic was under watch and on a criminal hold for obtaining a bewitched muggle artifact that had a hand in the disappearance of his daughter-in-law."

"The clock. He had brought it into my house to help build a crib. The glass was the face plate of the clock."

"Indeed it was. I felt my stay had been long enough, I wanted to get home, and now obvious to where I could start my hunt for the glass again, I paid a visit to your residence and didn't have to look very long."

"You managed to find the clock again after I went through it."

"Easier than I expected. It actually scared me a bit as it was still in your house, right there on the mantle. Your blasted cat practically laying on it, keeping guard I guess you could say."

"Doesn't the glass move after use though?"

"It was supposed to. It had every time I jumped through, but then I noticed that when I had used it there wasn't anyone else around." Phil growled again, the cat had once again dug its claws into his leg, this time deeper and with more strength. Hermione looked down at the cat on his lap, her heart beginning to race.

"That cat doesn't seem to like you very much." Hermione said and Phil grabbed it with both hands, lifting it off of him and promptly placed him on Hermione's lap, one of its paws landing in the tea still in her mug, which caused an angry hiss in return. Hermione quickly rid her hands of the cup to use them to steady the cat, who turned into her, its head pressing against her chest, rubbings its face all over her, all signs of anger leaving only to be replaced with ferocious purring. Phil continued to glare at it, running his hands over his clothes to disperse the cat hair that clung to him.

"He's been a right, bloody nuisance since I travelled with him."

It didn't take long for Hermione to know what that meant. She grabbed the cat from her chest, both hands around its middle and lifted it up to look straight into its face. It appeared pleased with itself, eyes slowly blinking, she could have sworn it was smiling at her.

"Crookshanks?" She exclaimed, the cat kneading the air in front of her face as if waving slowly, his purrs growing louder.

"I figured I could train him to sit on the clock once I found it again to hold it steady and get through. If it works, something holding it steady, then the glass should remain in one spot and not escape."

"Crookshanks!" She yelled again, satisfied it truly was her half Kneazle, and clutched the cat to her tightly. He seemed not to care, allowing Hermione to hug him as tightly as she wanted.

"Something living." She stated between placing kisses on the cat's head.

"Something mortal." Phil added. "But there's only one way to test that theory." He said, sadly. "And unfortunately I haven't been able to locate where the glass would be in this time line. I jumped through it without Crookshanks holding onto it, so I'm certain it wouldn't be in the house you had lived in-if it's even built yet, and you've since gone through so it may have shifted again."

"We're certain it's still a clock?"

"As long as no one has tampered with it, I think it's safe to say it has remained in that form."

Crookshanks adjusted in Hermione's arms, front legs sprawling out in front of him, back legs tucking in to better sit on her lap. He dared not move out of her grasp. It felt good to hold a part of her future, an actual object from her time she was familiar with besides baby Harry, it even felt good to know there was another displaced person right there next to her even if he did first come off as crazy and strange. Knowing she wasn't alone came as a comfort, but how much could she trust him?

"Severus said I could trust you." She said and Phil straightened his back, puffing out his chest proudly.

"I'd like to hope you would." He said. "We're in this together, aren't we?"

"I sure hope I can." She mumbled, shifting to face him more directly and sucked in a deep breath. "I've been planning an escape. Well, trying to at best. It's just been hard to do so as I don't know my way around this place. It's all changed from what I knew, and now that Severus and Sirius-" She sighed in aggravation.

"You don't think you're the only one planning escape do you?" Phil had a laugh to his voice. "It's risky to even think about, it doing it alone is even riskier. C'mon. Put the cat down and lets go get something to eat. There's people you should meet."

Hermione refused to lower Crookshanks and he happily remained purring as she stood, adjusting his arms to her shoulder, digging his nose into her ear. She kissed him relentlessly and followed Phil out of the small room.


	30. 30

"You're introducing me to people I already know." Hermione whispered as they came to a stop at the mess hall door, Lori and Christy waving them over from their usual table. Abe had been sitting with his back turned toward them, having to peer over his shoulder to see them before giving a smile. Adina was too engrossed with the mush on her plate to notice them until they sat down, Christy and Lori looking between Hermione and Phil curiously though trying not to make it seem obvious.

"Be a doll, pass the rolls would you?" Phil nudged Hermione, jutting his chin to her side in the direction of a bowl with stale rolls piled high. Abe lifted it from in front of him, handed it to Hermione, who in turn gave it to Phil who cradled it in his arms as if to claim it as his own bounty.

"You've all met Hermione, yes?" He asked, a bit of depression showing when they all nodded. He hadn't been around the past few weeks, missing out on the introductions. Hermione guessed it would have been an exciting one had he the chance to do it, much unlike Abe's laid back and calm way. She was half glad.

"We've just talked. My assumptions were correct." Phil stated this as plainly as he could, as if he was only stating his thoughts on the weather, but it caused a currant in the air. Adina finally looked up from her mush, Lori and Christy gasped and clapped their hands, Abe offered her a friendly wink.

"We knew it!" Christy whispered fervently. "She matched the description so well, it would have been a shame if you weren't the one."

"I was ready to throw the towel in." Adina added. "Beginning to think you didn't exist."

"So we can start on the next phase?" Lori sounded excited, leaning over the table to bring the group closer together. Phil nodded, ripping a piece of roll off between his teeth and he shoved it into his cheek, the only way to eat them as they were dry and hard otherwise.

"We'll send the message tonight. With any luck this place will be mayhem by this time tomorrow and we'll be free by the end of the week."

"Woah, woah, woah." Hermione cut in. "A plan? Mayhem? What is this all about."

"Our freedom." Adina answered shortly and seriously. Lori nodded.

"We were waiting for you to show up so that we could find the Outsiders."

"The Outsiders?" Hermione's forehead scrunched.

"Those beyond our parameter, the ones with the links to stop all this."

"You're talking about starting a war." Hermione said a little loudly causing all eyes to narrow and all shoulders to flinch. She lowered her voice. "Have you even seen what that looks like with this group of people?"

"We haven't." Lori said.

"But you have." Christy added quickly. "We know you've fought them before--"

"--and won." Lori finished the sentence matter-of-factly. Hermione sighed heavily, her eyes slipping closed and she shook her head.

"It doesn't work like that. When I fought last, I nearly died at their hands if it hadn't of been for the people with me, the knowledge we already had. Many others lost their lives...innocent people lost their life because of rebellion and they'll do it all over again, especially if we're not prepared." Her eyes opened back up. "We don't even have wands for starters. I don't even know where the Outsiders would be, it's been five years since I last spoke with them, and with all that's happened, they may have had to relocate. I'm not ready to make sacrificial choices based on what used to be."

"But you didn't die." Adina added.

"...and you won." Lori whispered again, she had tried to sound strong on it, but sounded like a child who had just been denied one more cookie.

"I can't agree to this." Hermione shook her head. "Not right now."

Phil ripped another bite of roll into his cheek. He was studying Hermione with eyes that sparkled, unlike the others who were giving her a second glance, opinions visually changing about her in front of her eyes, but Phil, he was smiling.

"See, what did I tell you guys? She has been through it before, she's honest, she's saving our lives right now by keeping us from proceeding too soon. She's just what we needed to make this work."

Hermione diverted her eyes from him suddenly noticing that she felt vulnerable, a little claustrophobic being the center of this so called plan. Abe rested a friendly hand on her shoulder, his fingers tightening and releasing in a small show of support.

"So we need wands. Will Black be able to get those for us?" He asked looking to Phil. Phil half shrugged, his head wobbled on his neck.

"I'll have to ask."

"Black?!" Hermione exclaimed. "Death Eater Black?"

Phil and Abe nodded.

"No. No. Absolutely not." Hermione trembled slightly, "We aren't having any contact with that creep."

"He's our ally, Hermione." Phil spoke softly. "One we can trust and need."

"One that tries to rape me every time he sees me." She could feel her cheeks going red. About to stand and leave, not wanting to be a part of the conversation anymore, she was calmed when Abe's fingers held their grip and he began chuckling.

"Wrong Black." He whispered. "We wouldn't let Sirius near our plan with a ten foot broomstick. You needn't worry."

"You mean--" Hermione's thoughts ran through history, not being Sirius had meant the only other black she knew had been active in the Death Eaters.

"Regulus? But..." She paused, her mind running the numbers through her head. "--but he's supposed to be dead."

"Key words 'supposed to be.'" Abe smiled softly and nodded. "Lucky for us, his brother gave him a heads up about his terrible fate and Regulus was able to avoid being killed."

"In doing so, it made him realize his loyalty sooner than it was supposed to happen and he's been helping us out as best as he can." Phil added.

"Us as in...well..." Abe waved his fingers around the room. "He still has to put on the dark and scary, all commanding side, but only just enough to be believable."

"I'm not sure I like that." Hermione muttered. "It just doesn't feel genuine. The Black family was known for their loyalty to the Dark Lord, in my time Sirius was even scratched out of the family tree because he diverted to acting against him. Even after his mothers death, he was never forgiven. I know that Regulus has favor with his mother, who's to say he isn't going to double cross us?"

"As far as we're concerned, he's our only hope for this to happen. Without him we wouldn't have anyone inside the Death Eater circle--"

"--we shouldn't have anyone inside the Death Eater circle in the first place." Hermione sighed heavily and grabbed a napkin from the table, balling it up in her fist and spreading it out on her knee to help keep her shaking hands from being seen.

"So we get rid of him." Lori chimed in after the sudden silence that fell upon them became too much. "We have Hermione, that was our goal in the first place, wasn't it?"

"We don't get rid of him. We need to know what is happening, the plans, the future actions of those guys." Phil said sternly.

"If she says we're compromising our plans working out because of him, maybe it is best to not trust him so much." Lori had lowered her voice to a whisper, her eyes narrowing at Phil and also watching Hermione carefully, who hadn't looked up from her napkin folding.

"He hasn't done anything in the past five years that would cause us to think otherwise of him, has he? Why should we start worrying now?"

"Maybe he hasn't had a reason to snitch on us. No leverage."

"Leverage." Phil puffed air from his nose. Abe raised a hand.

"She has a point. Hermione has been wanted by that lot since Severus had arrived, who's to say that they haven't acted up to par because she hasn't been here."

"But they know she's here." Phil laughed. "James, Sirius...they've seen her with their own eyes and don't you tell me they haven't already given the heads up to the others of her arrival."

"They know I'm here." Hermione said, validating what Phil had been pressing and he pointed a finger at her, looking at he others incredulously.

"Why they haven't done anything is a mystery to me, but they're well aware that I'm within their grasp."

"Then we shouldn't dwaddle in putting at least something into action. The longer we wait, the more chance we have of being caught." Phil pressed. "Don't we all want to get out of here?"

"Of course we do." Adina said, nodding. "But alive. I think Hermione has a strong point in not putting so much trust in Black. If he finds out we're actually ready to take the leap, who's to say he won't go setting off the warning bells among his people."

Hermione glanced up, giving Adina a sympathetic smile and received one in return.

"It'd be so much easier if we we're able to go invisible." Christy sighed. "Could you imagine?"

Hermione stared off beyond the napkin in her hand, she inhaled a sharp breath drawing all eyes on her and she looked between all of them.

"Would an invisibility cloak help?" She asked.

"You've been holding out on us?" Phil asked, amused. "Got one up your sleeve, have you?"

"No, but I know of someone who might just have one." Hermione nibbled her lip. "Whether or not we can get it, that's troublesome."

"Who has one?" Lori asked and Hermione sighed.

"James." She crumbled up her napkin again. "I could take a chance and trust Lily to see if I can get it somehow, but I don't want to compromise her safety."

"She's the wife of a Death Eater." Abe remarked. "There's always a chance against us."

"You'd trust Lily, but you wouldn't trust Regulus?" Phil asked. Hermione shot him a look of warning.

"The Lily I know would be happy to rebel against the Dark Lord in a heartbeat. She's only in his circle because she's forced to be. Regulus has always been dark."

"The only reason she's been so well maintained is Harry." Abe added, calming the static feeling of uneasiness. "'Ol Voldyface knows that without him, his reign of power will not be strong."

"So we can safely assume she'll be on our side as long as Harry's a baby and can't fend for himself. Lily's free to free-think until he's useful." Hermione added. "When that time comes who knows if she'll turn, keeping Harry safe--it's a mother's will for their children to survive and if joining the Dark Arts is the only way that will happen, we may have issues if this lasts that long."

"All the more reason not to hesitate to do anything then. How soon can you speak with Lily?" Christy asked urgently.

"Maybe tomorrow after potions." Hermione shrugged. "If James is there with her, I won't be able to ask."

"More than likely he'll be kissing the hems of You-Know-Who's robes all day long." Phil smirked.

"Tomorrow it is, then. We can get the cloak and just pass the notes through the fence." Adina sounded decided for everyone. "We'll loose the moon if we wait too long."

"The notes?" Hermione asked.

"In the past we've managed to make contact with one of the Outsiders by passing on information over the fence. Very tricky, has to be done in tandem with a strict schedule otherwise it would lead to suspicion." Abe explained.

"Who is taking the information?"

"A cat, mostly. It sits there, wide eyed, watching. Waiting. As soon as our little bits of gossip are on the other side, it will grab them and take off."

"And you trust this cat?" Hermione sounded reluctant to ask. Abe nodded.

"The only cat I'll ever trust completely."

"Why is that?"

Abe grinned and sighed softly.

"You'll just have to see for yourself."

Hermione studied Abe silently, wanting to press for more information, but wasn't able to question more as everyone else from their seats, Hermione following clumsily behind. She hadn't noticed the far off alarm sounding that signaled the end of dinner. Conversation beyond that would chance them getting caught by one of the guards standing around the edges of the room. As if the conversation never happened they dispersed, the males heading their own direction, Hermione following Christy, Lori and Adina to their own barracks where she found Crookshanks already curled up at the foot of her bed asleep.


	31. Chapter 31

She yawned, not even bothering to cover her mouth and even slouched as she sat on the hard stool in front of her cauldron, a habit she had only picked up that morning and decided that she'd keep it. She used to love potions, finding great pleasure in making something out of a few simple ingredients that would otherwise have little to no effect on things if not treated properly. These past few weeks of constant cauldron-slaving had begun to take its toll, she had forced herself to look past the grueling heat and the constant mess her fingers had become, now permanently scented of herbs and guts, to find that little bit of joy left in brewing. She wondered if she even began to look like the others as the day continued; exhausted, void of emotion, a robot grabbing for everything beside her and mechanically stirring them all together, save for Crookshanks, who had taken to curling up under the table next to her feet.

"Granger."

She choked mid yawn, disheartened that it couldn't be completed in satisfaction and straightened up immediately as her name was called from directly behind her. The Whip, her nose extra crinkly, eyes extra squinty, had moved behind her soundlessly, a long neck held her head that was slightly turned toward her. She looked annoyed more than usual right then and Hermione avoided her eyes.

"Yes, ma'am?"

The Whip took a long moment to look her over, sizing her up or so it seemed, and then with a slight twitch from her upper lip, shoved a small piece of yellowing paper with coffee stains on the corners at her.

"You've been reassigned."

Hermione took the paper, matching her eyes and only looked at it when her glower deepened. The other women around her, all staring, confused and astonished, Hermione could guess just from their reactions alone that this didn't happen often.

 _'The presence for labor of Hermione Granger is requested, permanently, in the Menagerie to be effective immediately.'_

The Whip stared continually at her as she read, nostrils flaring, as if she was blaming her for the change. Hermione's stomach flipped as the words fought past her early morning haze and meaning came around. She was out of there. No more brewing, no more chopping or mincing. Her fingers would no longer be stained with blood or the smell of rotting flesh.

Stuffing her wand in her pocket, she stood with good posture, Crookshanks yawning and stretching, bothered to move but not wanting to be left behind, The Whip remaining and even moving in closer so their faces were just inches from each other, her breath foul and nauseating and Hermione fought to keep it from invading her nose.

"Don't think you're catching a break, Granger." She hissed before her head slowly turned away, followed by the rest of her body and stepped away. Hermione took one last look down the row of the table she sat at, seeing Lori at the far end who sent her a nod and a quick wink before deliberately setting to work on her potion. Hermione's hand tightened around the note between her fingers and she left the hot and stifling barn to the welcoming outdoors.

It was only after she roamed down to the Ministry building that she realized she hadn't a clue where the Menagerie was. She hadn't even given thought to there being animals around in the first place. Besides the cats she'd seen roaming around, Crookshanks lazily trailing behind her, the buildings were so closely packed together it amazed her there'd be any room for a zoo at all.

At this time of day, with the sun barely above her, the streets were vacant and finding someone to ask seemed impossible. She searched for a sign, hoping for one to appear out of thin air and point her in the right direction, but none came. She hadn't ever been further than that and was a little apprehensive to just go wandering about in the streets now owned by Death Eaters. She looked to Crookshanks who had finally caught up to her and had promptly plopped down on his haunches, tail wrapping around his feet. He blinked pathetically up at her.

"I don't need judgement from you." She whispered at him, and then pouting, "You wouldn't happen to know where they keep the animals, would you?"

Crookshanks yawned again as if the question bored him and his head turned. He rose onto his feet again, and he lightly stepped away from her, hopping up onto the platform that was permanently placed in front of the doors to the Ministry. This had drawn her attention to a dark shape of a person in the middle, cloaked, but hunched, and soon making out the form of wooden stocks with someone secured inside them. Crookshanks looked back at her, flicking the tip of his tail in a 'come hither' motion before walking to the figure and sitting down once again at their knees.

Hermione climbed the platform, approaching the shape cautiously, and kneeled before the head that hung lifelessly in the middle hole, the hands next to his ears, colorless and ashen from bad circulation at that angle. She couldn't breathe, having recognized the person inside immediately, and her hands quickly grabbed his head, brushing the long, black hair away from his face, lifting it gently to look in his eyes that slowly opened.

"Severus." She said. "Oh, Severus. What have they done?"

His black eyes matched hers and focused intensely. He tried to move, but hissed in pain as his restraints held him in place. Hermione's fingers brushed his cheeks, smoothing the skin that felt balmy and grimy, shaking her head.

"Don't move." She whispered gently and he stopped, his body falling limp again, though he kept his head raised if only to look at her. She was fighting tears, but knew that now was not the place nor time to appear weak. She needed to be emotionless, if only for his sake.

"Water." He managed a whisper and Hermione searched around them. Not a bucket or well had been near, but her wand had been in easy reach and she grabbed for it, muttering a small 'aguamenti' and letting the water stream from the tip before bringing it to his mouth. He lapped at it, thirstily drinking until he had had his fill and twisted his face away.

"You're hungry." Hermione stated. "I could get you food-"

"-no." Severus replied. "No." His head dropped, his hair falling forward again and Hermione pushed it away, her hand tucking under his chin and held it up.

"You'll get caught." He said. "You don't need the trouble."

"It wouldn't be trouble." She said soothingly, but he persisted in denying food.

"Then I can try to get you out." She said, her fingers running along the sides of the old wood, finding no latches or locks holding it in place, charmed by a spell to hold him inside. He turned his head, looking through the locks of hair that remained hanging across his face, watching calmly as she grew annoyed at the spells keeping him there.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" He asked.

"They're moving me to the Menagerie." She answered. "I just don't know where it is."

"Hmm." Severus allowed his head to fall down again, resting along the nook for his neck. Hermione rested back on her heels, arms on her knees.

"Did this happen because of the fight?" She asked and saw him nod.

"And contempt." He sighed. "Not the first time." He gave a small snigger. "Won't be the last."

"I'm sorry." She said, sounding less amused by it than he did.

"You've nothing to be sorry about."

"I've everything to be sorry about."

He didn't answer. Hermione began to bite her lip, wincing as he did when he shifted his knees. His bones cracked, his hands made tight fists for a second and then relaxed.

"I've met with Phil and the rest. We're forming a plan to get out of here." She reached out and brushed the hair back from his face as he turned it to her again. "Do you trust them?" She asked.

"In this place its best not to trust anyone." He stated matter-of-factory. "But given the circumstances, I would."

"They want me to get the invisibility cloak."

Severus quickly shushed her.

"It wouldn't be wise to tell me your plans now."

"I don't know when I'll see you again."

"I'm sure you'll fit it into your plans somewhere."

"We'll get you out of here."

Severus looked up to Hermione

"We'll get you out of here."

Severus looked up to Hermione, his eyes sparkled and his lips pulled back into a tight smile though it showed warmth. He breathed for a while, just breathed and looked at her before he allowed himself to speak.

"I know."

Hermione raised her hand and placed it on the side of Severus's face, her fingers lightly brushing over his skin, but they didn't have a chance to stay there for long, Crookshanks had moved suddenly, trotting away quickly and circled the legs of a darkly hooded Death Eater who cleared his throat stepping over the cat and approached from the area behind Severus. She had no clue how long he had been there, or how much of their conversation he had seen or heard, but drew back instantly fearing the worst. Severus watched her as she scrambled back, unable to look for himself to see what she saw, but understood well that they had been caught and did not need to say anything more.

"I'll find you." Hermione whispered to him as she stood and turned to the dark figure that stopped beside the stocks and did nothing more but stare at Hermione through his silver mask, head tilting slightly as if he was waiting for an answer.

"I-I was sent to the Menagerie and saw Severus." She explained. She could feel her voice on the urge of shaking, could feel her posture that she was trying so hard to keep straight start to falter as the Death Eater straightened his head and then raised it slightly.

"I just wondered if he knew where it was." Her eyes flicked quickly to Severus then back to the Death Eater. Severus had given up looking up and had let his head hang down. He appeared almost lifeless and Hermione clenched her fists. "I didn't even know we had a Menagerie here until I was reassigned—oh!"

The Death Eater had reached out and grabbed a hold of Hermione's arm, turning her away from the platform and walked slightly ahead of her as he led her down the streets. They had walked in a direction Hermione had not been through, obviously an added on part to the neighborhood as she had never seen the buildings, all just as crammed in as her side of the town had been. Only a couple faces had peered down at her through the windows, but ducked back out of view when they noticed her looking up at them. She recognized none of them. He pulled her down another street, this one windowless, but still framed by large buildings. It was damp here, and did not smell pleasant, making her wonder if this society had a homeless population, some kind of unwanted or unhelpful person that wasn't given any luxuries such as a crowded room and a bed. She didn't see anyone, and no belongings had been kept anywhere, but the smell was enough to let her know that at some point, this street would have been filled with the less fortunate.

When they exited the street, the next area was a breath of fresh air. Wide open and a field she could see went on forever went from as far as she could look left to as far as she could look right. Distant calls from animals carried with the slight and refreshing breeze made her release a breath she didn't know she had been holding. She looked to the Death Eater and gave a nod.

"Thank you." She said, expecting him to drop her arm or throw her toward the field, something that would send her off with as much animosity as she had seen Death Eaters give the others, but he continued holding her arm and making one quick check in both directions, crossed the street with her. When they were well into the field, his walking slowed and he had forced Hermione to slow as well. They were walking at a crawl, leisurely, and he had finally dropped her arm. His hands lowered his hood and he removed his mask, rubbing his face. Hermione had gasped.

"I hate these blasted things." Remus Lupin strained. "They really aren't necessary. The title should be enough." He finally looked at Hermione and smiled kindly. "Hello, Granger."

"You too?" She asked, eyeing him up and down. She had come to expect it from James and Sirius, but never had she expected to see Remus Lupin, one of the best people she ever had the pleasure of knowing, dressed in the fabric of evil. Remus looked himself over as well and then shrugged.

"It was either this or be killed. I figured being alive would be more helpful to anyone than being underground."

"I'm sure they wouldn't have _killed_ you. Made you suffer like Severus and Phil maybe—"

"—When you're standing in front of the Dark Lord and given the choice to receive a mark or not, it's quite apparent what he plans to do to you should you turn him down." Lupin sighed. "Besides, sometimes it is better to join the enemy than play against him."

Hermione's eyebrow raised looking over the dark robes again, her eyes resting on the mask in his hand. Out of all the Marauders, it was him who she came to respect the most, at least the Remus she had known back in her own time was respectable and trustworthy. That Remus would never have joined the Death Eaters. He would have chosen death over power, death over conformity. Remus lifted the mask a little as he noticed her staring at it and then quickly tucked it away in his robes. He turned to her, stopping their slow stroll.

"I'm not like them, Hermione." He said. "I've told you that before."

The eyebrow remained raised and with the mask gone, she was forced to raise her eyes to his. He pouted slightly, looking down to his feet.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble you've had to go through, all the pain and suffering we had to put Severus through. He's really helped me with my, erm, little problem. That wouldn't have been possible without you, you know. Had you not mentioned the potion and what with all that happened, I'd have probably been done away with on the spot if it couldn't have been controlled. I am eternally grateful and in your debt." He looked back up to Hermione, but saw no budge in expression from her.

"I'm to believe that you're still against Vol—"

Remus lifted a hand, muttering a small "It's traced, don't forget," but Hermione continued speaking over him.

"—that none of them doubt your loyalty? That you've managed to get this far in and that you're still the same person, not like them?"

"You once said that Severus had played the double spy, managing to trick everyone while being loyal to Dumbledore."

"Severus was a very disliked professor back in those days of mine. He was able to play the bad guy because that's what was expected of him. You...this..." She raised her hand to express his clothing and everything else unseen, "...this is unexpected." She waved her hand back in the direction of the town they had left. "The others change is just as shocking, would not have seen _that_ coming or even expected it to happen. This time jump has made everything backwards and I've learned I just can't trust words anymore."

"I understand." Remus said, a hand grabbing at the back of his neck and he sheepishly looked away from her. "I know it is unfair to ask for forgiveness and trust, but I am asking for it." He began his slow stroll again, and having nowhere else to go, Hermione strolled along by his side.

"We don't have much time." He said, his chin lifting and pointing forward. Hermione looked across the field and saw someone riding a horse coming straight toward them.

"I hope you don't think it rude of me to ask for your assistance. You see, while James and Lily are called away, I have been asked to keep an eye on their place. Prior commitments won't make that possible tonight and I was hoping you'd be so kind as to just poke your head in. I'd ask one of the others to do it, but I don't trust them as far as I could throw my wand."

"Why me?" Hermione asked and Remus sniggered.

"Look, just go in, make sure everything looks fine, nothing on fire, make sure everything is in it's place and I mean everything from what's in their fridge to the things in Lily's cedar chest." His eyes narrowed. "Would you do that for me, Hermione?"

She narrowed her eyes back, and after feeling like there was no way around it, she gave a nod. Remus gave a satisfied smile and held out his hand.

"Give me your wand." He asked. Reluctantly, she pulled her wand from her pocket and looked at it in her own hands.

"Why do you want my wand?" She asked, but he did not answer. He grabbed the wand from her and swiftly pulled another from his cloak, trading them and giving it to her. It looked identical to the one she had just handed over.

"Looks great, doesn't it?" Remus said with a wink. "They'll never know the difference."

He turned, pulling his hood over his head and walked away. She watched him leave as her fingers turned the wand in her hand. Though it looked identical to the wand she had just given up, it felt different. The weight had been familiar and comforting in her fingers. There seemed to be an excited spark that moved through her hand and up her arms, traveling through her body like a tight hug from an old friend one hadn't seen in forever. She gave it a small wave and a shallow stream of brightly colored sparks, miniature fireworks released from its tip, the same sparks that had appeared when Mr. Ollivander had declared it to be her wand. She looked back up to find Remus, but he had gone, vanished into thin air. The horse neighing behind her pulled her attention.

"There she is, the friend I haven't seen in years, the one I can count on." The man on the horse exclaimed as he dismounted and smiled widely. Hermione had to hold back a laugh.

"Professor Lockhart." She said out of habit, but then blushed as he raised his hands.

"How very gracious of you to think of me as such, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. For now I am simply, Keeper Lockhart." He smiled again and Hermione felt her knees grow a little weak. She had to bite her lip to keep herself grounded.

"Here. Come." He reaches out a hand toward Hermione, bending his fingers in a come hither motion and began to lead her and his horse back in the direction he rode from.

"Surprised?" He asked, looking overly pleased with himself. "The moment I heard you were here I just knew I had to transfer you. Bring you to a place filled with awesome sights instead of trapped in a place of misery. That's where you were, right? Making potions?"

"Yes." Hermione answered. "It really wasn't as bad as you make it out to be, but I agree I will be much happier here." She had said it in hindsight; the potions building had been miserable all around. It was cramped, hot, stuffy, she reeked of ingredients even outside of the building and dreamt of nothing but cauldrons and liquids. Taking in a breath of fresh air, as much as her lungs could hold, she raised her face to the sky and the sunshine, taking in a blue sky dotted with clouds and though a chill had pierced the air, warmed her with knowing she'd be able to experience a little bit of freedom in a pasture as large as this one. It made her forget how pitiable she had felt. "Much happier."

"Good. Great." Gilderoy beamed and continued leading the way.

 **A** /N: NaNoWriMo has started! Throughout the month of November, it is my duty as a writer to have a go at it and attempt to write 50k words in a month. I am excited to kick it off with this story! I do not think the rest of this story will have enough to complete the 50k, but it will definitely give me a great start in that direction, and don't worry, I have collected plenty of other plot bunnies to give you guys new adventures. I am sorry it took a few months to update again, but this summer was busy and stressful and my muse had been lost along the way. I am glad to say that he returned a few weeks ago and gave me what I needed to plot out the rest of Wanderlust just in time. Eternally grateful to all of you for sticking with me through the hiatus! Please feel free to R&R (it keeps me motivated!) and Happy reading!


	32. Chapter 32

As much as everything had changed, Hermione realized that some things had stayed the same, or at least set up the basis for things to remain as they had seemed. For instance, Gilderoy had been captured by Death Eaters and standing at the tip of their wands, had spun a tale of adventure most of which included battling dragons in far off Asia so believable, was chosen for caring of the magical creatures. Hermione knew better and only after a bit of prying, was able to get Gilderoy to explain that one of his Ravenclaw housemates had an uncle that knew of a guy who had taken care of Asian breeds of Dragon's and had asked for all the details to be explained to him one rainy night back in Hogwarts. Naturally, he saw it as a way to protect himself when he was literally inches from death, and whether or not they believed him, it managed to keep him alive and granted him an exciting time doing so.

In all actuality, he knew nothing of caring for dragons or any magical creature, but he learned quick to not keep his fingers near their mouths and that it was often times safer to stand just to the side, never in front of nor behind any of them. Hermione didn't have to guess that Hagrid had been tossed in the menagerie as it was public knowledge he could rear even the most dangerous of animals into submission and was the only way others saw fit to keep the half-giant subdued enough. She was certain they'd easily be scared by him if he found it in him to strike back, and halfway wondered why he never did. Things certainly would have been different had they feared him, Hagrid would have had a run of the place, his pick of the choosing if he had decided to use his size and power to obtain status, but also knew he was gentle and kind and it may not have crossed his mind to try for control, so seeing him in the distance behind a wooden fence shoveling away to clear that part of the field from droppings and uneaten meals looked rather natural and he looked happy.

Gilderoy had given her a grand tour, showing her every nook and cranny the fields had to offer, from the smallest of creatures to the invisible and absurd, to the most dangerous and the most cuddly, it dawned on her that even animals had better treatment than half-bloods and muggle-borns could ever wish for. The animals were even pampered more than Voldemort's highest respected, even if it was part of Hagrid's doing. Even Gilderoy found it hard to keep from expressing any kind of meanness or abuse toward the animals even though he had no idea what it was he should have been doing most of the time. He just went along as he pleased, making sure they were all fed and healthy and it seemed to be the right thing as the Death Eaters left him alone.

Hermione was given Puffskeins and Billywigs to care after, though she expressed a child could care for them just as easily, he had hinted that, as his best friend, he'd see to it she'd have the easiest and most pleasing of jobs. He assured her if she felt like adventure and wanted to try her hand at other, more exciting animals, all she had to do was jump in, he wouldn't stop her. Knowing time for that would come, she settled for sitting in a structure set to house the Puffskeins cage free, and allowed herself to do nothing more than play. Within an hour, Crookshanks had grown envious, watching Hermione slowly get covered in the little balls of fur, leaving no space for him to curl up on, he took to the rafters for a nap.

She felt almost guilty to sit there and do nothing but enjoy doing exactly that. She had been trained to fear The Whip, who wandered aimlessly through the barn and lash out at anyone who did not appear productive enough, that when at work it was all she concentrated on: work hard, look busy, stay out of trouble. She feared that sitting there covered from head to toe in Puffskeins, that maybe even Gilderoy would barge in and punish her, so when he had poked his head in and laughed heartedly at the sight and asked if she was enjoying herself, the meek 'yes' she gave in reply was given in fear. She only relaxed when Gilderoy nodded in approval and left, no punishment, no bark to get back to work, and she relaxed again.

She hadn't noticed she had fallen asleep either, until she was opening her eyes and noticed it had gone from a bright and sunny day to devilishly black.

"Tired?" Gilderoy asked her, and she was quick to stand, the Puffskeins that continued to sleep on her being knocked to the ground and letting out little squeaks of surprise as she stood, quickly ran to the safety of the walls. Hermione brushed herself off, holding a hand to her forehead, she was temporarily confused on where she was and nodded when the day came back to her.

"I guess I was." She answered. She produced her wand and gave it a wave to light the tip, Gilderoy's beaming face smiled at her. She smiled back and followed him to the door where they stepped out into a frigid night.

"Comforting Puffskers can be overwhelming." Gilderoy chortled and Hermione snickered in agreement, hoping he had been joking just as she was.

"I'm not exactly sure who was doing the comforting." She added. "But I enjoyed it, nevertheless." It had felt good to just lie there, to do nothing after she had allowed herself to relax. After the nap she had, she didn't realize just how tired she was and had felt better than she had in weeks since she arrived. It wouldn't become a habit, she'd make sure of it, though. Too much of a good thing would surely lead to trouble if she showed up to work only to continue catching up on her sleep. She'd have to make an effort to at least appear helpful, give no one an excuse to transfer her to another department again, not even Lockhart.

"We'll see you bright an early tomorrow, then?" Gilderoy inquired and Hermione nodded, pulling her arms far over her head in a stretch and completed it with a yawn.

"As early as they'll let me." She answered.

"Oh good. I was worried you wouldn't want to come back."

"Don't be silly." Hermione said. "I'll be here."

Everything looked different in the dark, the barren street without the windows on the sides of the buildings had grown active now that the sun had gone down and everyone was away from work. It wasn't too far off from her guess of the homeless staying there, except these people weren't homeless exactly. The street had seemed to be widened to fit in everyone's tents and shelters, turning a cold ally into quite a welcoming camping ground. She passed by people and families alike, all which seemed to be content in their makeshift homes, most laughing, some drunk and speaking or singing loudly, some sitting around small fires with mugs of steaming liquids in their hands. She felt like these people were even more content than those in her own barrack; there wasn't singing or dancing, everyone was too scared to speak in more than a whisper in fear that the other Whips and Leaders would be around to hush up the fun or cause some kind of pain. Maybe she'd inquire about getting her own tent and moving in, sure that the brick walls could be moved back a little further to give her her own lot.

It wasn't until she had reached the Ministry when she remembered she had told Remus that morning she'd check in on Lily and James's flat. Actually, it had been when she looked toward the platform in front of the doors to see Severus, still in the stocks, and the group of Death Eaters surrounding the doors, one of them being Remus, that she remembered. He had seen her, blinked in recognition, and then pulled his attention away to the others. She slowed her walking to a stop and slowly crept up to the platform, keeping low enough to hide below the change in height, to hear the conversation taking place.

"It is an immediate request. There's no time." One of the cloaked figures said.

"I made a promise." Remus sounded demanding, but the one speaking after him won over.

"You'd rather fulfill a promise to someone other than the Dark Lord, himself? Milson! Take Mr. Lupin here to where he needs to go. See he gets delivered."

Hermione heard footsteps lead across the platform and down the steps to street level. She saw Remus turn his head, a slight nod in her direction. She nodded back and stood tall, waiting for them to pass out of view and then climbed up the steps and to the doors. The Death Eater who was guarding them looked at her, watching her intently as she passed, pulled the doors opened and went inside. She expected to be followed, to be stopped and wondered if telling them she had been assigned to check out the Potter's flat would be enough to keep her out of trouble, but nothing had happened. The Death Eater had let her in without question. She guessed it wouldn't be too curious to have those in lower positions entering this building, after all, it was also home to business and not just living quarters. Her presence here wouldn't be questioned as much then, and she found her way to the elevators.

When she stepped off and into the flat, the lights burst on automatically. It felt cold, as if the space hadn't been lived in for a few days. So far she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, besides a few pillows and magazines having moved since the last time she had been inside there, it was all pretty much to memory. Following Remus's orders, she had gone to the kitchen and pulled open the fridge. Maybe he was worried about rotting food that would need to be disposed of, but being in the wizarding world, when food could be preserved for longer with just a simple spell, she wondered if that was what she was supposed to be looking for at all.

Her eyes bulged when she peered in, the fridge having been crammed full with food, stocked to look like it would last them for months without having to replace anything. Her stomach growled. It was far better than the slop they served in the dining hall, food that she hadn't even placed eyes on since she came to this timeline, food she felt like she hadn't eaten in years, especially the individually wrapped slices of pizza on the bottom shelf. Remus had said to check the fridge, and now she understood why. He must have known she was hungry and there was a slice of pizza in there that no one would miss if she had it.

No.

She closed the door, it must have been a trap. Surely they would have counted everything, had some way to keep track of every morsel in that fridge and when they'd figure out that Hermione had been in there and that a useless slice of pizza had gone missing, she'd be held accountable. But Remus did tell her to check it.

Temptation was too much. Her mouth had salivated and no amount of swallowing could end it as much as a piece of actual food would stop it. The door was opened and a slice was removed. She pocketed the wrapping, knowing not to leave evidence in the rubbish bin, and had the slice gone in five large bites. Her stomach still grumbled, but she refused to take another piece. She'd already been lucky with getting in a nap, no need to get greedy by taking two slices of pizza.

She moved through the rest of the apartment, making sure nothing appeared broken, or flooded, or disturbed, ending in the bedroom where Lily's cedar chest was; the other thing Remus had been sure to state specifically for her to check. She lifted the lid, taking in a lungful of cedar, a smell that had always pleased her nose, and laughed as she saw, right on top of everything, the invisibility cloak. It was folded neatly, the shimmering cloth seeming to great her excitedly, and she lifted it out. If this is why Remus had basically ordered her to check on this place, to make sure she had a bite to eat and to find the cloak, then maybe he could be trusted. Maybe she should be a little softer with him next time she saw him? She began to re-fold the cloak, invisible side out so she'd be able to leave with it unseen, when a piece of paper caught her eye. It was clipped together with a picture, one of the muggle kind that didn't move, but of Lily and Petunia sitting together on a swing strung from a tree branch. They were both smiling, caught in mid waves to the camera. The letter attached was not as happy.

' _Lily,_

 _It saddens my heart to break up the family we tried so hard to keep together. We were once sisters that shared everything from shampoo down to our shoes, but in the course of a year, that has all changed, no longer can we even share a laugh. Vernon and I will refuse any further correspondence from either you or James, so do not waste your time in trying. I know you will be stubborn, but I beg of you, for your safety, for our safety, do not attempt to contact us further. We will not and cannot be found, unless it is your wish to have us placed in the same end as our parents. Think of me as you will, but as of this moment, our family ties have been cut. You are no more my sister than you are a stranger I've never met in a country I've never been to and don't care to go. I will deny any memories of us ever exis_ —'

The slide of the elevator doors had torn Hermione away from reading the letter. She was no longer alone, judging by the sound of carpeted footsteps lingering in the front room. As quietly as she could, she put the letter and picture back in the chest, and closed the chest. She lifted the invisibility cloak over her head, concentrating on steadying her breathing. She did not move, in fear that her footsteps would be heard, just as she could hear theirs - she was sure there was more than one of them judging by how much noise they were making, and she didn't begin to panic until one of them called out:

"Accio invisibility cloak."


	33. Chapter 33

"Accio invisibility cloak."

Hermione's fingers tightened around the fabric though she knew the spell was useless against it. A small part of her feared that somehow her presence in this timeline would void the magic that was currently her only safety.

"Accio!" The voice said again, the voice chilling her. She knew who it was, could see the face in her mind's eye as it spread through her ears, her only question is why would Sirius want the cloak? The muffled footsteps grew a little closer, and another voice was added.

"Maybe he took it with him?"

Peter Pettigrew, a Marauder she had only seen a handful of times since she arrived, still sounded meek and helpless compared to Sirius, whose voice boomed in comparison.

"Check the room." She heard Sirius say, and she let the fabric fall from her fingers, finding the furthest wall, the furthest corner she could press herself into. She held her breath, scared he'd be able to hear her breathing. She watched Peter as he went to the chest of drawers and threw it open, he took clothes by the handful and tore them out, letting them fly through the air and drop haphazardly to the ground. When he didn't find the cloak, he went to the next drawer, then the next, and so on until the drawers had been exhausted.

His head swiveled on his neck, he looked at the other places something could have been hidden, a cabinet that was near Hermione had been his next choice. He threw the doors open, and once again littered the room with clothes, removing them from hangers, checking the inside of robes to make sure it wasn't tucked in with something else. When nothing came from the cabinet, he had gone for the cedar chest, throwing the lid back with such force it rocked and almost broke. Again he tore through it, throwing aside precious artifacts and memories Lily had kept safe, not finding anything in return. Hermione's fingers tightened again on the cloak, though it wasn't fighting her anymore. She felt like Peter would know it had been in the chest and would realize it was missing, and she felt if that happened, Peter would suddenly develop some kind of invisibility cloak sense that would make him realize it was right behind him the whole time and she'd be revealed.

Peter rocked back on his heels when he was finished searching.

"It's not in here!" He screamed to Sirius who had remained in the other room.

"You're certain?" Sirius called back, his voice sounding muffled, like something had been in his mouth. Hermione could see him having a go at the stocked fridge and was glad there was another person who could be blamed for eating out of it. She watched Peter as he stood, kicking at a few pieces of clothing, picking a few pieces up and admiring them before tossing them back to the ground.

"Yes. I'm sure." Peter said, jumping slightly when Sirius had stuck his head in the doorway. He was picking at his teeth, then sucking through them, dislodging food that had stuck.

"I said look for the cloak, not destroy the room." Sirius sighed. "Clean it up."

Peter took one last look at his mess almost disappointed he'd have to erase a job well done and took out his wand. Hermione tightened her grip again, knowing that the cloak had no reason to be included in the cleaning spell, but felt vulnerable all the same. With a wave of Peter's wand, the clothes hung themselves back up on the hangers, they folded themselves and tucked themselves away neatly in the drawers. Even the cedar chest seemed to suck everything back inside with hunger and close the lid. The room looked untouched. James nor Lily would ever know someone had rifled through their belongings.

She watched Peter as he stood, surveying the spell's outcome, and pleased with everything, stepped out of the room. That was when she saw it.

A shelf on the wall, one that could be missed if she hadn't of been staring in that direction all ready, sat a small clock. It was a beautiful clock, a mantle clock, Arthur had once called it, with a rich, mahogany wood body carved intricately at the base with Celtic knots, golden colored time hands, and a mother-of-pearl face plate that was almost hypnotic the more she stared at it, hidden behind a glass door. It was the kind of excitement that made her feel sick as she recognized it, though she dared not move toward it. Sirius and Peter were still in the apartment, she wasn't about to jeopardize herself or the clock to them. She'd stay where she was and investigate later, when she was sure they'd left.

"Can I ask you something?" Peter said. She could hear the smooth creak of the couch as they sat down in it. Sirius sighed.

"What is it?"

"Why do we need the cloak? I mean, why are we stealing it? Couldn't we just ask James if we could borrow it?"

"Did he let any of us borrow it back in Hogwarts?" Sirius sounded annoyed. "No. He used it selfishly, telling us to get our own when we'd ask to take it on. You remember that?"

"Well yes, but—"

"—Practically slept with it every night. So damn protective over it, would have helped us out a lot if he'd just learn to share."

"Obviously." Peter agreed.

"If we asked to borrow it here, we'd have to tell him why. Do you want him knowing? Do you think he'd agree with what we want to do?"

"I-I-um-but what about—"

"—Of course he wouldn't, idiot. It would ruin his chances with his dear sweet wife, wouldn't it? I swear Lily has his balls wound tighter than even the Dark Lord could manage."

"I—um." Peter sputtered, Sirius fell silent. Hermione could feel tension in the air and jumped when Sirius barked.

"What?! Out with it."

"I don't appreciate you speaking of Lily like that." Peter said. Sirius huffed.

"For Merlin's sake—"

"—Now, Lily has always been good to us, hasn't she? She ain't done nothing to James we need to be angry with, has she? Kept a good home, had a child—"

"That child, " Sirius spat, "is the reason we're in this mess to begin with."

Hermione could hear the couch suddenly shifting. Curious, she inched her way toward the door where she was able to see the both of them.

"Let's protect Lily, give him what he wants, he'll show us mercy if we can provide what he needs." Sirius spoke in a pitch that was supposed to be imitating James. It just made him sound sickly, like his nose was stuffed up. He snorted. "At the time it was a good plan, but he'd been going after the wrong girl."

"Granger, you mean?" Peter asked. Sirius glared at Peter and a hand was brought quickly up the back of his head in a smack.

"Of course I mean Granger, dimwit."

Peter shied away, moving to the far end of the couch, his hands raised to deflect any other throws that could come his way, and then slowly lowered when he noticed there wasn't any.

"What exactly do you see in her?" Peter asked. "We weren't supposed to like her—at least thats what I was told when she first showed up."

Sirius sighed, falling back into the couch.

"It's purely aesthetic." Sirius said. Peter looked at him blankly.

"Means physical." Sirius rolled his eyes, threatening another smack, but gave up before it could happen. Sirius settled back again in the couch, he interlocked his fingers and placed them behind his head. "I don't suppose you'd ever understand. It's far too sophisticated for your little rat brain, isn't it?" Sirius laughed. Peter laughed along with him, but it obviously was to please him and not genuine. Hermione could see a sense of hurt in Peter's eyes, and darkness that was only aimed when Sirius looked away from him.

"She's intelligent, too. Don't suppose you'd understand how refreshing it would be to speak with someone who could hold a conversation and get a nice little debate going. No?" He waited for Peter to shake his head. "Both the looks and the smarts would make for some good babies, you know. That would really please the Dark Lord, raising a breed of wizards that were highly favorable to him."

"Isn't that what you were just complaining about Lily and James for?" Peter asked. Sirius stared at him for a long while, and then his hand struck out again. Peter flinched, hands flying up to protect himself from Sirius's smacks until Sirius grabbed a handful of Peter's robes and pulled him to his feet.

"This is different, because you see, in the long run I'd be saving her life. She'd see me as her hero. Yes, after you do away with Severus, I'll have her all to myself. Just you wait and see, she'd be begging me to save her from the hardships of You-Know-Who."

Peter was thrown forward, aimed for the elevator. He rubbed his arm where Sirius had just gotten in another throw.

"I don't know, Sirius. Hermione strikes me as someone too intelligent to fall for that."

The elevator doors opened, Sirius shoved Peter inside.

"Shut up. You just never mind or I'll personally see you and Severus get the same fate."

The elevator doors closed. Hermione waited until she could hear the monotonous hum of the lift working its way down before she pulled the cloak off her head. She felt like she was suffocating. She was shaking, and she was angry. She spun around and marched to the clock, wanting so badly to reach out and touch the face, but the thought of Severus remaining behind again kept her from doing so. Growling at her transparent reflection in the clock face, she threw the cloak over her head once more, ' _not Now, not without Severus'_ and headed toward the elevator.


	34. Chapter 34 (part 1)

She kept the invisibility cloak wrapped tightly around her and stopped at the front doors to peer through the glass, making sure the Death Eater who was keeping watch had his attention turned elsewhere than on the doors she was about to open. When he had turned around fully, Hermione pushed the doors open and slipped through, helping them close behind her as quietly as she could let them and turned around again. He was still turned with his back to her and she let out a slow, quiet breath. She could see Severus still bent over in the stocks just feet from her, Sirius and Peter were no where in sight. Getting him free was going to be the hard part. She looked at the guard again as he began pacing toward her and she stepped forward just in time to keep from colliding. She looked again to Severus. She needed to get him free, but without gaining attention from the guard. She knew a distraction would help them out, and looked around. Besides closed shops and an empty street, there wasn't much that would make a distraction large enough to keep his attention for long, except...

She removed her wand from her pocket, aimed it toward the glass doors she just came out of, and whispered a small spell that caught the glass and made it swell. As she expected, the guard noticed it and moved closer to investigate. Hermione went for Snape, he felt her presence, but was unable to see her. Not wanting him to give her away, she lifted up the bottom of the invisibility cloak and allowed him to see her. She put a finger to her lips, turned to check the guard one more time, and then studied the locks that held his trapping closed. Alohamora didn't make any kind of adjustment to it, and she knew that if she exploded them like she wanted to, the noise would call the guard away from the glass. She'd have to work quickly.

She took a deep breath, her wand pointing at the glass doors again, and when she was ready, sent another spell that caused the glass to swell past its strength and begin to crackle. It ebbed and rippled, and then, just as it exploded, Hermione turned her wand to the lock and muttered a gentle 'confringo.' The lock exploded off the hinge, instantly turned into tiny shards that flew everywhere. The cloak covering her had protected her, but she winced when she saw Severus, now covered in tiny cuts that began to bleed and drip down his cheeks and hands. She took one last look at the guard, who had been stunned when the glass exploded, and was just getting around to grabbing his wand and holding it at arms length at the door.

"Be quick." Hermione whispered to Severus and lifted the top half of the stocks enough for him to slide out. His body popped and creaked as he hadn't moved in hours and he was trying his best to not hiss in pain. Hermione couldn't blame him, knowing very well he had to have hurt. She lifted the bottom of the cloak and placed it over him, concealing the two of them from the guard's view and did not bother checking to see if he had turned around. There was no time, they had to begin moving.

Severus was slow to start, Hermione helping him along as best as she could until they were off the platform. Behind them they could hear more Death Eaters popping up, the guard obviously had called for help. It would only be a matter of minutes if they were lucky to realize Severus was no longer in the stocks.

She moved them through the streets, unsure of where they were going, but knowing if they went as far as they could they'd eventually reach an edge. As long as they stayed under the cloak, they'd be hidden from view, and as long as they'd remain that way until they were past the edge, they'd be alright. Carrying Severus had added a small conflict to it, but she wouldn't allow it to stop them from trying. He didn't speak until they were a few blocks away from the Ministry, and seemed alone as they hadn't found another human in sight.

"Where are we going?" He asked, his voice sounding raw and hoarse. Hermione was silent for a few beats, not knowing how to answer.

"Away." She settled on saying. "I overheard Sirius and Peter speaking. They're looking to kill you."

"They've wanted to do that for years, we've nothing to worry about."

"Now that I'm here, I'm afraid you're not that safe."

"So what's the plan then?"

Hermione didn't answer this time. She just continued hugging Severus to her and walking.

"There is no plan." Severus came to the conclusion. "This is it? Just run away and hope we find a way out of here?"

"If you know of something better, I'd appreciate you sharing it." Hermione snapped. Severus huffed heavily.

"If we do make it out, where are we going to run to?" He asked. "Have The Outsiders been alerted? Have you even spoken with Phil and Abe about this?"

"Haven't had the time. I'm just sick of waiting and I fear if we were to leave it for another day it would be too late."

Severus didn't speak. A few more blocks away and he pulled his arm from Hermione's shoulders, walking on his own - or limping, rather, but able to hold his own weight again. They moved faster, continuing as best as they could in one direction until finally, they had found a tall wire fence. Hermione and Severus stopped and looked at it, bending their heads back as they grew closer to it to see the top. There didn't appear to be anything keeping them in there such as barbed wire, and so far they hadn't been pushed back from any shield or charm. Severus pulled the cloak from their heads, the sudden rush into the cold night air causing Hermione to shiver.

"Up and over?" He asked.

"Up and over." Hermione answered.

They were cautious approaching the fence, both of them with their hands outstretched, waiting for some kind of boundary to set them back, but when the fence touched their hands, they began to climb. Their feet, too big to fit in the small diamond shapes, it soon became a task to balance their tip-toes inside of them and mainly use their arms to pull themselves up. It was near the top when they ran into the hurdle.

There was a sharp pain that radiated through their hands, up their arms, into their shoulders. It released their grip, but froze their muscles so their arms remained stretched up over their heads. A shrill and loud chirp rang through the night, alerting everyone that someone had tried to escape. It seemed too easy, and it was. The charm set for only the top of the fence was a smart move as it allowed people to approach the fence and not continuously set it off unless their intentions were to escape.

They were surrounded by popping as Voldemort's wizards apparated around them, though they were frozen still, every Death Eater had their wand pulled. They were surrounded. They were helpless. Hermione watched as one of them pulled up their sleeve to call for the Dark Lord, but was stopped by a single word.

"Don't."

The Death Eater who had spoken took a long step forward, his wand now trained on the Death Eater who showed his mark, and pulled the mask from his face.

"He had instructed us to not disturb him in any way, shape or form. This can wait for his return."

It was Lucius Malfoy. He grabbed the arm of the Death Eater and pushed it down before he turned around and looked down at Severus and Hermione.

"What have we here?" Lucius purred, his eyes flashing dangerously as his smile grew wider. "The unfortunate love birds. What a pity the both of you had to be caught."

Lucius kneeled down next to Hermione, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face to look her in the eyes better.

"We should have expected you'd been the one to help Severus escape. That was a smart move causing the door to explode." He clicked his tongue and looked over to Severus. "And such a sad story over there. Almost free. Should have joined us while you had the chance, Snape. Your life would have been longer."

Lucius rose to his feet and stepped beside a Death Eater. "Lock them up." He rocked forward to leave, but then rocked back. "Oh, let's keep them together. Let them live their last moments as a tragedy should end." He patted the Death Eater's shoulder, and then vanished.

...

They had remained frozen until they were placed in a cell back in the Ministry, safely locked inside the Prisoner's Palace. As soon as the door shut with a clang and the locks turned, rattling the walls, were they able to lower their arms and move their feet. The pain Hermione felt was still there, its what had made her muscles hurt the most, and she rubbed furiously at her hands and arms, making fists and then extending her fingers, stretching everything as best as she could, but it didn't help. The pain still remained.

Severus seemed unphazed by it. If he was in pain, he didn't show it, or maybe it was just something he was used to and saw no need to try and remedy anything. He stood and walked to the bed, sitting at the foot of it and gave a look around the cell.

"Good to be home." He said, though he meant it as a joke, Hermione glared at him, and then her glare turned soggy. Try as she might to keep it from happening, there was no stopping the knot her face turned into, and the amount of tears that flowed as if a dam had been opened. Severus let her cry for a while on her own, letting it build until it was something worth comforting and then stood up and folded his arms around her when that point was reached. She had buried her head into his chest instantly, heaving sobs into him, as if his gentle back rubbing had been the key to a clockwork mechanism deep inside her that caused her to wail whenever he stopped.

He stood there holding her, nose buried in the top of her head, gently swaying them back and fourth until her cries had calmed and she muffled something into his chest. He removed his nose from her hair and she lifted her face away.

"I'm sorry." She said, licking her lips that were beginning to appear chapped. Her swollen, red eyes begged for forgiveness. Severus shook his head.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." He assured her.

"Yes I do." She sniffed and let her forehead fall against him again. "Everything I've done since I've shown up has led us to this trouble right now and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for you, I'm sorry for James and Remus and Lockhart and I'm sorry for everyone else that is in this place that doesn't deserve to be here, that wouldn't be here if it hadn't of been for me being here." She hiccuped a few times, threatening to start the tears again, but Severus pushed her back.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." He repeated. "In fact its not you, it's me. I haven't thanked you enough."

Hermione laughed. "Thanked me? For what? Ruining your life?"

"Hardly. I think you've made it better."

"You've lived the last five years as a prisoner."

"An honest prisoner. Hermione, I'd rather live five years knowing who I am and for what I stand for than living a lifetime in a lie. It's because you showed up that I became true to myself and fell in love with someone worthwhile rather than spend my life miserable and lonely."

He lifted her chin with his fingers to make sure she was looking at him. "Thank you." He said again. Her lip trembled and before it fell, he caught it with his own. The salty kiss was short lived, however, as Hermione could only hold her chin up for so long. Severus's attempt at holding that bottom lip steady failed, and she turned away before he could try again.

"Don't be like this, Hermione." He pleaded. She turned to answer him, but gave up halfway into it. She hugged her arms around her self, using her shoulder to wipe at her cheeks. Severus tried placing her hand on her back, but she shrugged him off. He sat on the edge of the bed again.

"Do..." He bit his lip, unsure if he wanted to ask the question. "Do you miss your husband?" He asked, hanging his own head. "It was wrong of me to act like he didn't exist." He played with a piece of string that was loose on his pants. "You were pregnant too, right? God I'm such an ass." He twirled the string around his finger until the skin turned purple. "You should be with him." Severus decided, nodding to his lap.

"They're nothing but a dream anymore." Hermione whispered and Severus looked up. Her eyes were even more red and puffy, her lips were a bit more chapped as she bit at them. She used the heels of her hands to wipe the tears away angrily that still fell without her permission.

"I haven't thought of Ron or the baby in such a long time, almost forgot they existed until you mentioned it." She sniffed in, held her breath and then let it out. She wiped at her eyes again and shook her head. "Quite honestly I'd rather be here with you."

Severus diverted his eyes, uncomfortable with her honesty, but the corners of his mouth raised.

"You would?"

"Ron would just be freaking out, never much help when it came to stress." She explained, and then chuckled as she gave her eyes one final wipe with her fingers. "It's amazing that we lasted as long as we did. I mean the love was true, but logically we weren't the best match."


	35. Chapter 35 (part 2)

**A/N: sorry about that abrupt ending of the last chapter. I didn't know how to end it and lost momentum in trying to so I just gave you what I had. Please accept this super long chapter as a token of my appreciation for you all putting up with me =^^=**

...

The morning came quickly, as if the night had not happened. Hermione found herself tangled in Severus's long arms, and though the mattress they were sleeping on had been lumpy and old, the wire coils poking through the stuffing and poking them in all their bony areas, they had managed sleep, keeping each other warm. She lay there, just breathing, just memorizing the feel of arms holding her once more and smiled to herself. For as crass as she knew Snape had been, he somehow had the power to hold and make someone feel right, like the perfect puzzle piece that finished the picture. She heard a snore escape Severus, followed by a sleepy cough and his head burrowed deeper into the pillow they shared, his face pressing deeper into the back of her head, his arms pulling her in tighter, her smile growing visible now as this little movement struck something in her.

Having spoken about Ron right before they fell asleep, she had ended up dreaming about him. She missed him in the way someone missed their best friend; that part of her life felt numb to her now, and she would jump at a chance to see his stupid grin, or hear his clumsy voice, and normally she wouldn't want to be woken up from a dream that included him, but this was one of those times she was glad to let go. Ron had been a great help, a great assist, but Severus was an even greater asset to her life, and if this version of him would grow up to be as smart and as daring as the Snape she had known, she already knew her future for however long it lasted here would be better off.

She missed Ron in the way someone missed their best friend, she didn't miss him like someone would miss their mother, or their father; she was torn when Ron had disappeared during their search for the horcruxes, but she had survived with little strife. She had felt more anger toward him than anything. Severus's death, Professor Snape, she had felt actual grief watching him die, though at the time she still thought he was one of the bad guys fighting against them, prior knowledge of him and Dumbledore's urging her and Harry and Ron to trust him had given him a sort of an Uncle Drosselmeyer effect; more went on with him than she realized, he wasn't all bad—couldn't be all bad. Getting to know a younger Severus had cemented that thought and she now felt certain the reasonings she had made were the correct ones.

She chose Severus.

She chose 1980...and whatever time came after it.

She'd wait to return to the clock she saw in James and Lily's place until Severus was ready to go with her.

She gripped Severus's arms tighter around her, and heard him sleepily giggle in the back of her head.

"Morning." He said.

"Morning." She answered.

"Morning." A third voice answered. Hermione and Severus had jumped into a sitting position so quickly, startled by the unexpected voice, the calmness of the waking had been forgotten.

"Isn't this darling?"

Lucius was leaning against a wall, arms crossed over his chest, one foot crossed over his ankle. It was apparent that he had been there for some time and Hermione immediately felt violated, gathering up what she could of the threadbare blanket the bed had provided and held it around her even though she was still fully clothed. His stare made her uncomfortable and she leaned back into Severus for a sense of security. Severus placed a hand on her arm, his thumb smoothing over her skin lightly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and Lucius sighed.

"He's back and has requested I come gather you for punishment. He won't be too pleased I have taken this long to comply, but couldn't bear to wake you. The two of you just looked so peaceful, I thought I'd let you slumber for a little bit. Consider it a parting gift."

Hermione felt Severus's hand tighten. She threw her hand over his.

"A parting gift?" Hermione asked. "We're being let go?"

"If you want to call it that, if it will calm yourself and make it easier to deal with the inevitable, then sure. He's decided to...let you go." Lucius pouted, drawing his lip down hilariously low, and then broke out into laughter. "Severus, being once my friend, I will give you and your Mudblood love a chance to keep your dignity, unless you'd rather be taken there the hard way?" He pulled his wand and pointed it in the direction of the both of them. They stared, only for a second, until Severus gave Hermione a small tug and pulled himself from the bed.

Hermione rose to her feet, hesitantly leaving the comfort of the rag-worthy bedsheets behind, her hand quickly finding Severus's, his fingers grasping hers tightly.

"You lead." Lucius commanded, throwing his head toward the door that opened at the order, following behind them.

The lift ride was short, or maybe it was the refusal for time to happen at all that made it seem instant, but they reached the main floor and were pushed forward toward the front doors. The glass in the doors seemed untouched, as if Hermione hadn't of exploded them in the first place. Beyond the doors she could see a crowd had formed, the square in front of the Ministry filled with heads all the way from building to building. The sound of the crowd erupted only when the doors were pushed open and they were rushed by a couple of Death Eaters who seemed to be waiting for their arrival. Severus was grabbed by one, Hermione by another, and were roughly guided to the side of the platform.

Across the platform, the first time in a few decades she had seen him, had stood Voldemort. He appeared amused, as if this had all been a game and he was winning. There seemed to be no anger or any sign of betrayal in his nose-less face, even the redness of his eyes never darkened or glowed as he watched Severus and Hermione. He glided forward slowly, chin raising as he neared them, and when he was inches from them bent over from his waist his face lining up with Severus's and it looked as if he was studying him. Severus stared defiantly back at him, and Hermione understood exactly what was happening.

Voldemort was searching memories, he was staring his enemy in the face and was finding all the evidence he needed to strengthen his fight. Hermione knew Severus had once been one of the best in both Legilimens and Occlumency, but she had not known how strong those refusals were now. Not being in the Death Eater circle, her changing him for the better, she wondered if he had any chance to practice blocking his mind at all. Voldemort grew bored, lips curling back obviously dissatisfied with his findings and his eyes narrowed into slits. He approached Hermione, eyes still narrowed, and she began to panic.

 _Clear your mind, clear your mind, clear your mind._

Her breathing quickened, their vision aligned and she could feel him slither around, her head becoming warbled and mushy. His red eyes were fading away and she tried grasping at them in an intellectual battle to not let him in. Occlumency had not been one of her best subjects, but she had fared well against Harry and Ron when they'd try to press into her during training. Harry had tried to catch her off guard a few times and only got as far as her childhood when she'd notice he had infiltrated her thoughts. It was the same experience now, not realizing he had entered her mind until she was well within the time her family had taken her on a skiing trip in the French Alps.

She squirmed both in her mind and in the hands of the Death Eater that held her, unable to shut Voldemort out, and watched as the Alps made way backward to her childhood as she concentrated on it, just before Hogwarts had come into her life.

Hogwarts.

Deliberately she threw the memory of receiving her letter, fully placing in her mind the owl that had crashed into her father's cereal bowl as they ate a wonderful breakfast on the back deck. Her mother had screamed, her father had jumped back, Hermione had simply watched the owl with curiosity, focusing on the thing that had been tied to its leg. At first she had thought it to be injured, having been caught in some kind of trap and escaped. She went for the object, her mother pulling her back fearing for her safety, telling her it could be rabid. Her father disagreeing, saying that Hermione had been right, there was something tied to the leg and it seemed to be offering it to them, the owl looking pathetically between them all as it sat in a puddle of milk and oats, its leg that had been stretched toward them now began to shake demandingly. Her father, his fingers delicately and carefully extended, jumpy at being so close to the powerful beak of the owl, fiddled with the twine and finally removing the letter—

There was a sharp pain, right between her eyes. She screamed. It spread from her head, all the way down her neck. It made her knees grow weak and if it hadn't of been for the hands holding her up, she would have crumpled to the ground. The platform came back into view and Voldemort had turned from her. She saw he was now addressing the crowd and as the pain subsided, could hear he had started speaking.

"...disgrace to the wizarding world, though I do commend her on her bravery to think she'd get away with it. You see before you, two people. Two people I have graciously opened opportunity to, I've let them eat and sleep and continue their lives unharmed in a protected space and they defied me."

The crowd remained silent. Instead of the cheering or calls of disappointment that should have happened, they all remained still, their faces blank. It looked as if they had been trained to just be an audience to wait for cue cards to tell them how to act, only the cue cards had not shown up.

"Last night, these half bloods, these sorry excuses for such rewarding powers, had attempted an escape, giving away their true alliance to our family...to me."

Voldemort's head turned slowly. He looked over Hermione, and then looked over Severus. There seemed to be the slightest bit of enjoyment hidden deep within those eyes, the fire that made them red was stoked a little bit more.

"Crucio!" He whispered, his harsh voice spread through the air, he turned quickly, his robes flowing and turning his movements into liquid. His wand raised from inside the waves of fabric and Severus growled as his back arched, his feet twisted, and the Death Eater holding him was forced to let him go. Hermione watched him writhe on the ground, contorting himself into unnatural positions, the growl deepening into something terrible.

It was over as quickly as it started, and it was Hermione's turn. The pain seared her bones, she could feel it in her hair, her teeth, her finger and toenails. There wasn't a part of her that had been left out out the curse, and the pain was so great she couldn't even form a sound until it ended. All she could do was lie there in a heap. Even then, it hurt to open her eyes, but she did to scan the stage. She saw Voldemort had turned their back on them, and on the other side of him, James Potter, standing next to Lily, arms around her as she held baby Harry who for the most part, seemed content, unaware of what was happening around him. Lily appeared uncomfortable, trying her hardest not to look at Hermione or Severus, instead focusing on a spot just beyond Voldemort's feet. Hermione guessed that they had been invited to witness their torture, having no chance to decline.

"Traitors have no place here. Those that defy me put our kind in danger, they are a disgrace to all the hard work we've done to make this town into the magnificent community we have turned it into."

The crowd still remained silent, Hermione could see the strain it took for some of them to hold it together while the others just looked bored. She knew very well this wasn't the first gathering of its kind and probably wouldn't be the last. All they had to do was show up, to give Voldemort what he needed to please him, and from having lived some weeks in their shoes knew that all most of them cared about was how much longer it was going to last before they could eat. Voldemort swiveled, his wand out again, and he was on Severus again, this time Severus raised into the air as if a hand had grabbed his chest and pulled him upward, his arms and legs falling behind him, lifeless. He looked like a rag doll, being tossed about the platform, landing hard, being twirled around, head over feet, feet over head, arms and legs spread so wide it looked as if he'd pull apart at the seams of his clothing.

Hermione found the strength to get her arms under her, and shaky as they were, she pushed herself up, watching Severus land inches from her. She reached out for him, and he was teasingly dragged away from her touch. She heard the hissing laugh of Voldemort, teasing her, daring her to try again.

"Please," She managed to speak, but it came out soft, a lump in her throat refusing anything more. "Please, stop."

She reached out again, and Severus was pulled again, inching away from her. She shook again as she got to her knees, and then as she stood, the hands that grasped her from behind refused to let her step forward any more.

"She begs for mercy." Voldemort let out a laugh from his belly, his wand hand twirling, Severus lifted slightly off the ground and twirled right along with it, and then with two long strides had been face to face with Hermione. "You fail to escape and then ask for leniency? On what grounds? You take me as a fool."

"No." Hermione shook her head. Voldemort nodded slowly.

"Yes, you take me as someone who will let those who've made their move walk all over him."

"No."

"And you make me out to be blind to what would happen if I grant sympathy. I did not get this far by allowing those who so much as curse my name in vain walk free."

He gave Hermione no chance to react, turning from her. "You will watch what I do to those who conspire against me, and then you will look me in the eye and ask me to stop. You will witness what happens when I do."

She could feel the static in the air grow as he raised his wand, Severus once again on the other end of it. The fingers on her arms clamped down harder and it only told Hermione one thing, that what was coming would be the last time she ever saw Severus's chest rise and fall with breath, would ever see the people around her watching in casual fear and intrigue, would ever feel her arms growing numb from lack of blood flow as the hands around her arms tightened even more in anticipation of her actions, would ever feel thoughts race through her head. She clamped her eyes closed, finding herself unable to watch.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The curse was said, but there was screams of the unnatural sort. When she opened her eyes, she had seen a figure on top of Severus, one with red hair. She quickly looked to the space where James was standing and not seeing Lily, had put the two together. Lily had seen it coming and had raced forward, throwing herself over Severus just as the spell had been spoken, too late to stop it. Hermione knew Voldemort wouldn't have halted the curse, Lily was Muggle born. James's wife or not, the only thing that had kept her alive was James's request and Harry.

Harry.

The platform had erupted as Death Eaters jumped into action, she no longer had fingers holding her arms as whomever was behind her had joined in the sudden brawl that had erupted from everywhere, Voldemort had disappeared, blinked out of sight to keep himself out of any spell that was aimed at him, keeping himself alive and safe.

Hermione moved to Lily, turning her over and finding Harry crushed between her and Severus, but crying. He was heaving, his face beet red and wallowed as hard as he could scream. She took him, holding him close to her looking at Lily, her face frozen in a scream of her own, but lifeless. She looked down to Severus who showed signs of breathing, but was unresponsive. Wanting to wake him, she thought twice when a spell of some kind whizzed right by her face, catching Lily's hair and singed it. She looked in the direction it had come from, the crowd ebbed in one large fight. She couldn't make out those that were fighting for good or the ones that were fighting with bad. It was messy, it seemed out of order, and felt twice as dangerous. She looked at Harry again, knowing she had to keep him safe, and rose to her feet.

Shielding Harry, her arms wrapping around the small body holding his head to her chest while he continued to scream, she jumped from the platform knowing she needed to get out of there, that Harry needed to get out of there and be kept safe. She'd try for the fence again, there were spells she could use to try and get through the fence instead of over it, she'd even dig if she had to, but with the battle that was currently taking place, Hermione found it hard to find a clear path. Many a time she took elbows and hits from the people attacking others, those who had decided to drop their useless wands and fight with their hands, but she didn't let it stop her. She powered through a group that blocked her way, tucking Harry into her, giving a scream of her own as she shouldered through.

A cloaked Death Eater grabbed out for her, she dodged and ran straight into another one, this one grabbed her and twirled her around, putting the other Death Eater behind him. He lifted his mask just so she could see his face underneath. Remus looked at the baby in her arms, and then to her.

"We'll keep a path clear." He hissed at her. "Take Harry and run." He raised his wand, aiming it at her. "Go!" He buzzed, flicking a spell at her feet. It made her jump, never having been on the other side of Remus Lupin's wand had not felt great, though she knew he had sent the spell toward her to not only motivate her, but to make it look like he was at least trying to hit her, he could only avoid hitting her for so long before the other Death Eaters would begin to notice. Not needing to be told again, she turned around and saw Abe, his hand making small and fast movements for her to follow him. He kept ahead of her a few steps, checking behind his shoulder, staving off those that came at him.

"Get to the edge, the Outsiders will be out there. Duck!" Abe yelled back to her and she dipped down, a green streak flew over her head, Abe had deflected it and grabbed out for her, latching onto her shoulder and pushed her to continue ahead of him. She didn't notice he hadn't followed until she was well within another swarm of people using their wands to deflect spells that came from more cloaked figures. She figured it was all they could do as the wands they were provided did nothing more. They'd probably be better off just throwing the whole stick.

The crowd thinned eventually and then tapered off as she made her way down the streets she had haunted the night before with Severus. The thought of leaving him behind choked her, but it would not have been a wise choice to remain behind or even try to bring him along. He'd just be another body she'd have to carry and just managing Harry had been hard enough. She pulled him away from her chest to exchange arms, still crying the boy felt especially warm to the touch having worked himself up. She kissed the side of his head, whispering words of comfort as they raced through the buildings and down the streets.

There were footsteps behind her, and she dared not look back, all her focus being on the edge, getting to the fence that put her in this position just a few hours ago. It was nervy to take the same path, but it was the only way she knew. It was also a reason the footsteps, which had gained on her, soon doubled.

"Stop or we'll shoot." One of them yelled, his voice bouncing off the walls. Hermione didn't listen, she veered off going down another street. Streams of light hit the corner of the building, spells shot and spells missed. They were closer than she expected. What also took her by surprise had been the tall and slender figure that suddenly materialized around the next turn which caused her to stop altogether.

The Whip, her nose lifted highly above the rest of her face, her arms hanging at her sides and ready to block her way. Hermione turned to run the opposite direction, but that way had been blocked too; those who were chasing her had caught up, sealing off the way back. Step for step they matched each other, striding toward her. She could feel whoever was behind the masks were sneering at her just as much as The Whip had been. The woman was also approaching her, lips revealing her crooked and rotting teeth. Hermione gripped Harry tighter, raising her wand-it actually shook in her hand as much as she tried to steady it-and she switched it between the group of Death Eaters and The Whip. It seemed to hold no effect, they believed the wand to be the same useless thing she had been given upon arriving.

"Stay back!" Hermione ordered. They didn't listen. She sent out one warning spell, one that caught the Death Eater standing on the right. It shocked him letting out a big _Z_ AP and knocked him backwards. The others paused, unsure of what had happened. Hermione turned to The Whip who now had a wand of her own raised and still moved forward.

"D-don't come any closer!" Hermione stated, switching her wand from The Whip to the Death Eaters and back again. Though silent, it felt like they were laughing at her, all of them fully amused while they cramped her. Hermione squared her shoulders, forced herself to stand as tall as possible. If they were going to take her, she'd at least carry herself strong to the end.

A blur of orange suddenly cut through them, appearing from beneath the center Death Eater, straight through his legs. Hermione recognized Crookshanks, gasped, and watched as the brave feline rushed The Whip, leaping at the last second, his front paws unsheathed and at the ready. The Whip had been too late to block the attack, Crookshanks' claws digging deep into her face, the back legs falling on her chest with such force the fabric was instantly shedded. Hermione seized the opportunity and sped by her, Crookshanks letting out a growl and rushed to catch up to Hermione.

She followed the cat who seemed to take lead, knowing exactly which street to turn down and where to go, backtracking their way until a fence had been reached. It was not the same part Hermione and Severus had been to earlier, but taking one quick glance down the length, it would have ended up somewhere in the same vicinity. She watched Crookshanks as he jumped through a hole that had been made, cut out in a sloppy and ragged circle big enough for one person to fit through. She looked at Harry, and then the hole. The both of them would not be able to fit at the same time. To make matters worse, the footsteps had begun to echo in the direction they came from. Not wasting any more time, she pushed Harry through the cut wires to place him on the ground, but another pair of hands reached out and grabbed him. Harry was covered quickly by a dark robe, another hand emerging and reached out for Hermione. She grabbed it, fumbling through the fence and then noticed what she had just done.

In a moment of panic she had just handed Harry off to a Death Eater that had been waiting outside of the fence and had even taken his hand. She pulled back, fighting his grip though it was strong. She hit and kicked, but the grip did not lessen, instead it engulfed her, the attached arm swinging around to hold her, to cover her up in his cloak just as he did Harry. The world grew dark, but only for a second. When she fought her way out of the darkness, she was grabbed again.

"Take her, get her. You! Take him, be quick now!" The Death Eater that had grabbed her began barking orders. She refused to go without a fight and anyone that came near her she swung at. She watched Harry be removed from under the cloak and passed to another person dressed in dark clothes, she needed to stay with him, needed to keep him in her sight, but she was held back. Something smooth and wet was pressed to her lips. It tasted horrible, a calming potion she detected, and spat what had been forced into her mouth out. Again it was pushed to her lips, hands holding her head steady, more hands than she knew had been there, and the amount of potion forced down her throat had finally taken effect. She went limp. Sleep or death, she had no choice but to let it happen now.


	36. Chapter 36

The bed was soft, the blankets were warm and the sound of waves somewhere outside her window crashing on rocks or perhaps a sandy beach welcomed Hermione as she came to. For once since she could remember, she felt rested, relaxed, and the moment she cracked an eye open knew that she was safe. The room looked a lot newer, more cared for than the last time she had seen it; the last time she had sought refuge from Voldemort and a war.

Knowing she was in Shell Cottage could only mean one thing unless this territory, too, had been claimed by the Dark Lord and his troops which she highly doubted as soon as she heard voices drawing close to the door. She recognized Molly Weasley's voice at once, and then after scouring her brain could place Aunt Muriel. She closed her eyes again as the door opened, as good as she felt she was not ready for them to think her awake yet.

"...I highly doubt this young girl could be capable of that. You'd have acted the same way if you were in the same situation." Molly said. Muriel sighed.

"Absolutely not. This is kidnapping, Molly. The boy you hold in your hands was taken from a family who loved him and cared for him."

"Raising him to serve only once purpose."

"What purpose could He have for a child? I doubt You-Know-Who would willingly be participating in the feeding and rearing of a child. The only purpose that boy has is to add another body in the fight."

"Then why all the trouble? Why would James and Lily put their lives on the line to even have this baby in the first place?"

"Because it's a lie. They believed a lie she told them and look where it's brought all of us."

Molly shushed Muriel harshly, Hermione made no movement. She could hear Molly walking from the door to her bed and felt her watching.

"Molly, I know its a truth you don't want to entertain, but we can't go around accepting those who claim to be from the future into our lives. It's dangerous, putting my family in danger. I don't like it." Muriel had hushed, now speaking in a whisper, but was still as tempered as ever. "For all we know she's escaped from the loony side of Mungo's."

"She's just a child." Molly stated and Hermione felt the bed shift as Molly sat down and her fingers caress her head, smoothing her hair behind her ears. "One that has claimed to marry one of my future sons and as Dumbledore had said knew enough about our family and the littlest of details that I have no doubt she is telling the truth. If she is crazy then it's because of being stuck in our time for as long as she has been."

There was a silence that stretched seconds to their edges.

"You can't afford it, Molly." Muriel spoke softly, the icy-ness had left her voice and now sounded like a concerned grandmother trying to give good advice. "You've already six children that you're finding tough to fund. Taking on two more will not help your matter improve."

"We're doing just fine." Molly answered sounding astounded. The bed shifted, Molly didn't stand but she certainly took on a more defensive position. "We make do with what we have and we are very happy. If you feel as though we're hindering you in any way then coming here was a mistake and we will gladly leave immediately."

"My family is always welcome. I will always offer hospitality and safety to my kin. Strangers who claim to come from another time, babies that are prophesied to be the downfall of an angry man, the ones that have no interest in my life right here, right now...those are the ones that I do not need my hard earned money to go to."

"She's my future daughter-in-law. That's good enough as family to me. I am sorry you feel used, Aunt Muriel, but we had nowhere else to go. If indeed you feel tread upon, then we will leave. I'll go tell Arthur to pack up the kids."

The bed shifted when Molly stood.

"Don't be silly." Muriel groaned. "Molly, I am not kicking any of you out, I'm simply reinforcing that her stay is temporary and to make sure it stays that way."

There was an awkward silence, an uncomfortable exchange of something that had happened before Hermione couldn't take it any longer and she opened her eyes. Muriel had left the room, Molly had moved to the window and was looking out of it, rocking back and fourth slowly with Harry in her arms.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that." Molly said, Hermione blushing as she didn't realize her attempt at faking sleep had been thwarted. Molly turned, the warm familiar smile filling her young face. "Feeling better?"

Hermione sat up, she was still slightly sore, but that didn't matter. She was safe with people she knew and trusted. "Wonderful." She said with a smile. Molly turned from the window and approached Hermione again.

"Aunt Muriel, she's old and a crank. Anything she says, Hermione—"

"—I know." She gave a chuckle. "I've become well acquainted with her. First time I met her she gave me an earful on standing straight and had quite the opinion on my ankles."

Molly gave a satisfied smirk.

"That's the woman."

Molly shifted Harry in her arms and Hermione looked at the both of them, remembering the last thing she could, being surrounded by people, Harry being forced from her hands. It was obvious now that she was fighting off the people that were with her, those that were trying to help her and not fight against her. No wonder she was sore.

"Is he okay?" Hermione asked and Molly nodded, turning so Harry was more visible to her. He was sleeping, looking like a doll that had been wrapped up in a blanket.

"Took some time to calm him down, but I don't think he'll even remember it. Been sleeping since then when he's not awake eating like a fiend."

"Good." Hermione nodded. "Can't say I blame him, fighting like that works up an appetite." She could feel her own stomach curling in on itself, but was in no hurry to eat; as hungry as she was she wasn't sure she'd be able to keep much down. Though she felt calm and safe, there was still an ounce of adrenaline that seeped in her bones, she couldn't help but be on high alert after spending so long in that state.

"I can only imagine." Molly said, and then let out a deep breath. "Remus had said it had turned violent even for those who didn't want to be in it. They weren't expecting that big of a skirmish to happen."

"I don't think any of us were." Hermione agreed. "Wasn't expecting one at all if I'm to be honest. I mean we were planning for something to happen, but we didn't have anything set in stone yet."

"Sounded like there wasn't much time to do much planning after You-Know-Who had sentenced you and Severus to death."

Hermione started.

"Severus..."

Molly raised a hand wobbling her head.

"...is with us, Remus pulled him out of there. He's fine, hurt, but fine."

Hermione could breathe, falling back on her pillow, but just as quickly began throwing the covers off of her. Molly pressed a hand to her shoulder.

"Easy does it." She said. "You're still exhausted."

"I'm fine." Hermione said, insisting against her hand to stand, every muscle in her body screaming as she did with lack of movement and evidence of the spells used against her.

"He's not going anywhere, there's no need to rush." Molly reminded her, but Hermione was eager. The last time she had seen Severus he had been unconscious, pale, looking as close to death as she had ever seen someone.

"Where is he?" She asked, grabbing Molly's arm for balance as she tried out her first few steps. Molly held her firmly, attempting to keep her back, but when she found it was useless walked along with her.


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Holy moley! So sorry for the wait guys, I've been feeling a whole lot of blah lately so I haven't gotten around to doing the things I should, this being one of them. But have no fear! An update has arrived! Enjoy!

Severus was sitting in a large chair outside just off the front steps that was formed from unrelenting weather and wind, leading from the front door. He was wrapped in an overly large blanket that seemed to swallow him, his face the only part of him exposed to the salty wind that carried a chill, but he didn't seem to mind. Neither did Hermione as she stopped in front of him. Nothing was spoken, but they stared at each other for a while, Severus tucked in his blankets just taking in Hermione, Hermione in the breeze and morning sunshine, taking in Severus. He reached out, grabbing her and pulled her into the chair. It was only big enough for one person to sit comfortably, but Hermione found her place nestled on his lap, head falling to his shoulder as he covered the both of them with the blanket. She took in a large breath of him, he smelled freshly of soap and salt water and also slightly like she remembered of musky and damp dungeons.

In front of them was a slight drop that ended with a long stretch of beach and zooming along it on toy brooms were two boys with red hair. Bill and Charlie Weasley, now ten and eight years old respectively, fighting each other for a ball that even Hermione could see was flat and worn down to nothing but a shell. They didn't seem to mind, however, just happy to be playing, to have a little bit of freedom on the sand. A little further down the beach she could make out Arthur holding the hand of another small, red-headed child around four years old: Percy. He was bending down awkwardly, trying to pick up sea shells without dropping those he already had gathered in his arms. Arthur appeared bored, keeping a careful eye on Bill and Charlie, while trying to show interest in the things Percy was trying to show him. She didn't realize that he was also busy watching two more small children, these ones more interested in the water than any shells or balls they could be given.

Fred and George Weasley, two year olds now that had grasped the concept of walking on a soft surface, found walking on sand just another obstacle. They were helping each other, arms intertwining and stumbles being taken together instead of on their own were intent on reaching the water's edge. A wave would crash, crawl along the sand and they would be off to greet it, Fred pulling at George or maybe George pulling on Fred, Hermione couldn't tell who was who, to get there before the wave would slide back, away from them. They wouldn't give up, continuing to run after it, and then realizing it was rushing back to them would squeal in delight and try to run away from it before it could tease their bare feet and the game would start over again. Just watching them was exhausting. Hermione felt the slightest bit sorry for Arthur's task of watching all of them.

"What's going to happen?" Severus asked when he grew bored of the waves.

"Oh, I expect we'll have a few days to recuperate and then as any war goes, any I've been in at least, we'll be back in it again, nearly dying." Hermione mused.

Severus did not find this amusing and if he did, did not show it.

"They're going to be looking for us." He pointed out.

"If they aren't already." Hermione added. "We're in good company. Even if they do find us, we'll be alright."

"I hope you're right." He tightened his grip on her, she pulled the blanket tighter around them. Hermione had only ever seen the future Severus in passing when it came to the Order and didn't know much about what stronghold their relationships were. With what she'd seen in that world, Severus didn't have much if any friendship or even an acquaintance level of friendliness between them, he had been thrust into a group of strangers that he'd never have given a second thought to. Besides Remus, the Weasleys were nothing more than fellow Wizards who had attended the same school, nothing more.

"But what's going to happen? If we make it out of this, are you going to find the clock and leave?" He sounded scared to ask. Hermione looked up to him, he kept his eyes forward.

"I...I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." She lied, knowing very well that in the past couple of days she had done more thinking about it than she'd care to admit. "You could come with me." She suggested.

"Wouldn't that open a new can of worms? If we ended up jumping into your timeline and I was with you, wouldn't there be two of me in your time? I remember hearing somewhere it could kill all of mankind to have that situation happen."

"If that is at all true then we'd be dead by now, There's a baby sized version of me somewhere around here." She thought and when his silence became too much, she offered, "I could stay."

He smiled but it was short lived.

"Would you think that if the clock was right in front of you?" His black eyes finally met hers. "Could you forget about the passageway home so easily just to remain here?"

He brought up a good point, that urge to always go home would be there, tempting her to return to the familiar.

"Why are you asking this?" Hermione raised an eyebrow, pulling back slightly. Severus returned his eyes to Charlie and Bill.

"Near death experience, I suppose. Five years living in a cell no larger than the bathroom inside the cottage, wondering if I'd make it out alive, if I'd ever see you again. Coming to the conclusion that you're the closest thing I've ever had to someone who truly gave two shits about me and maybe I don't have to be a miserable old potions master if you somehow find your way back." He looked at her again. "When You-Know-Who searched my brain, the memory he found was of me watching you touch that glass back in that shop and not knowing what would happen, when I'd see you again. I begged of him, if he was going to kill you, to just kill me too. I'd experienced five years of it and couldn't go on if he planned to kill you."

Hermione couldn't answer. There weren't any words she could think of to say to that and only wrapped her arms tighter around him. She watched Charlie snatch the ball from Bill and sharply turn on his broom, racing back down the beach, Charlie laughing and threatening him in a way that caused Arthur to look up at them and consider the game ended should he ever say that again.

"If we're caught," Hermione started, "what will happen then? If we can't fight our way out of this?"

"I've always admired a sad ending to a love story." There was a beat where Severus just breathed. "It's more realistic."

...

An afternoon storm had pushed everyone inside, the kids gave protest, claiming they weren't going to get hurt with a little bit of rain, but the fierce look Molly had given them finalized a decision to go upstairs and they could now be heard running back and fourth in the hallways, stomping on the ground, jumping around. Severus wasn't exactly thrilled with it given his long and steady looks up to the ceiling where his eyes would follow the noise and slide closed, jaw clenching when a muffled yell could be heard. Molly and Arthur on the other hand ignored it completely, Hermione guessing that because they could be heard, they knew the children were okay.

Remus, Regulus, Arthur, Molly, Muriel and much to Hermione's surprise, Arabella Figg and Alastor Moody had managed to squish themselves in the small but ample kitchen. She was admiring Arabella, only having seen her before with wrinkles and tattered clothing, looking quite beautiful as her youth was only just beginning to fade. She sat there next to Regulus, the two of them in deep conversation while Arabella cuddled Harry in her arms looking every bit the part of a caretaker. Alastor had also been a fixation point for Hermione as the man had not changed, looking just as 'mad' and as disheveled as ever. He had kept to himself, not conversing with anyone unless he had been directly spoken to, his good eye staring into the center of the table while his other eye rolled about, just like Severus had been doing, tracing the noises from the children upstairs. Arthur and Molly were having their own conversation while Muriel was carefully watching everyone. She stooped in a chair placed at the corner of the table, carefully supervising everyone, visibly straining to hear the conversations taking place, but had mostly taken to criticizing Severus, Remus and Hermione who had chosen their own side of the table far away from her.

"Is everyone here?" Muriel snapped, the conversations dropping like they hadn't been happening and full attention was brought to the elderly woman. "Then we should proceed."

"Right. Um." Arthur sucked in a breath as he stood, his thumbs looping into his pants and he pulled them up by the waist, straightening his belt all around as he leaned back. "I am glad we are all here, as prematurely as it happened, but as planned. It would be best to go over the next course of action."

"First thing's first, how many of us are left?" Molly chimed in. Attention was turned to Regulus and Remus who exchanged a glance with each other.

"We lost Frank. Edgar was last seen cornered so I am not certain of his current status though I'm not sure it is favorable. No one has heard from Dearborn if I'm correct?" Remus paused and took the silence as an affirmative answer from everyone. Regulus leaned back in his chair interlocking his fingers behind his head.

"We're still waiting on word from the Prewett's, McKinnon, Diggle and Dearwick." He added. Molly looked as if she had tasted something sour.

"Any word on Emmaline?" She asked, the look only dissipating slightly when Remus shook his head. Hermione had heard all these names prior and was quite glad to hear the original Order had seemed to be in place save for the few who had become turncoat and were now working under Voldemort. She looked to Severus who seemed lost, but was keeping it together by nodding as if he had understood.

"What of James?" He asked, a question Hermione didn't realize she had been thinking of until he had asked it.

"Potter? James Potter?" Muriel perked up. "If the boy's still alive I don't see why we couldn't give Herbert back to him."

"Harry." Hermione corrected her, eyes narrowing. "And we are not giving him back. James is part of the circle and—"

"—Harry, Henry, who cares. Having that baby here is just putting us in more danger than we need to be."

"Harry's not going anywhere." Arabella said, protectively clutching Harry closer to her, glowering at Muriel for even suggesting it. "They only plan to use him as a strength to their dark plans and I for one will not see him put through such a life."

"I think," Alastor butted in with a stab to the ground from his walking stick, "this conversation is getting off track. Let's worry about the Potter's boy later, concentrate on what we have to do to gain a hand on this war."

"Thank you, Moody." Remus said in agreement. "Hermione, you've mentioned horcruxes, the extra safety You-Know-Who has placed to keep himself alive?"

"Yes, he should have five of them now if the timeline hasn't affected his making them." She answered. "I gave Dumbledore a list of them when we were back in Hogwarts, we could try contacting him and seeing if he has had any luck finding them."

Molly hung her head and Arthur placed a hand on her shoulder, there was an audible gasp from Arabella, and a wheezing sound coming from the rest as they hung cluelessly to Hermione's suggestion. She looked at Severus who had been wincing and he turned toward her carefully.

"No one told you?" He asked and Hermione shook her head.

"Told me what?" She asked, growing scared of the answer as Severus cleared his throat and took her hand in his.

"Dumbledore was killed a few years ago."

"What? No, that's not—"

"—I'm afraid it is."

"When You-Know-Who reached his greatest strength, Hogwarts was the first place he took over next to the Ministry of course. Nearly every Death Eater had snuck into the castle and began a rampage, taking hostages, forcing separation among blood lines and sorting everyone into groups of who would live and who would be forever bound to work in the labor camps He set up. Their main target was Dumbledore, rest his soul, who fought to the very end and died bravely." Alastor had explained calmly, one eye trained on Hermione, his other eye snapping to the ceiling when a loud crash happened. "And just so you know, Molly, your twins have just crashed that trashy lamp."

Molly rose from her seat, dropping the table cloth she had been using to dab her eyes with and excused herself to take care of Fred and George. Hermione sat there in shock. She had not given. Any thought to Hogwarts and how Voldemort's rule had affected it, feeling slightly guilty for not asking about the school or those inside sooner.

"What about the others? McGonagall? Pomfrey? Filch?"

"They let McGonagall take over as Headmistress as she was the only one who could keep every body in that school in line. They had tried others, but there was nothing but mutiny from the students and staff alike until they agreed. Only purebloods and halfbloods with potential or ties to the Dark Arts are allowed to be educated there, the others denied any kind of schooling outside what their parents can teach, or if they've been lucky, what the other wizarding schools could grant if they were lucky enough to obtain a spot in the transfer programs that were offered before that Umbridge excuse took over the educational department."

Hermione became nauseated at the name. She wasn't expecting any other news, knowing full well that Umbridge would have jumped at the chance, not only in her own time, but any other time to straighten out the wizarding world and the education policies of those not full blood or entitled.

"Then we'll have to speak with McGonagall and hope that Dumbledore had at least the smallest notion to pass any information onto her." Hermione said decidedly.

"Good luck." Regulus sighed. "Unless you know of a secret passage that hasn't been discovered, getting inside Hogwarts is impossible."

"If we could help you sneak in, Hermione, we would, but even then every breathing body is accounted for. With every Dark Art witch and wizard being on alert for those wanted by You-Know-Who, going to McGonagall would be your demise."

Hermione looked around the room and settled on the fire place, she nodded toward it.

"Who says I need to go into the castle to speak with her?" She asked. There was a chance, even a huge possibility that the fireplaces were being watched closely, and she wondered just how much they had been abused. "We might even have luck with portraits if we could find one we can trust enough to get a message through."


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** See guys, I am still working on the chapters even though they're slow to be uploaded =). A big thank you again for hanging in there with me while things on this side get hectic and busy. Hope you enjoy! Please R &R to keep my motivation at its peak!

At first she thought the dark hooded robes were too much, but as Molly had pressed her she'd look out of place otherwise, she gave in and wore them. The one she had been given had been a couple of sizes too big for her, the sleeves dangling over her hands, the shoulders sloping downward, making it look like she hadn't a neck to support the droopy hood that, when pulled over her head, hung in front of her eyes so she could only see the ground inches in front of her feet. Though she wasn't pleased, it would do. A week inside the cottage had them climbing the walls, going crazy with cabin fever.

Alastor had suggested a small town he had found a few miles away that seemed calm enough for an outing, some fresh air even he needed as his eye could only give him so much freedom compared to the others. Molly had been harder to convince, but one day after her children had driven her patience to the end she had reconsidered and found that a few hours away from the cottage was not such a bad idea. It was an easy enough plan: Go to the town, pick up the items that they needed; household things and food, maybe a few books no one had read yet, new toys for the kids that would keep them satiated for a while. Hermione wanted to check out portraits as well, their failsafe if Minerva couldn't be reached by fireplace. They'd stay together, Molly, Alastor, Severus and Hermione, to keep the group small and manageable, easier to lookout for. Any sign of fight or recognition and they'd leave, shopping done or not.

A portkey was made so they could all leave together and arrive as one group and the swirling feeling it gave off when everyone had grabbed onto it slightly bothered Hermione as it felt similar to what the glass produced when she'd touch it. When they arrived just on the outskirts of the town, she had clutched Severus's arm somewhere between the cottage and landing, and he was looking worriedly at her until she noticed the time hadn't changed, he was still there, they had arrived at the planned destination.

Though the small and comfortable town was outside of Voldemort's workforce, it held much of the same feeling as they walked down the street. It was spotted with tents and tables, merchants selling artifacts from books to children's toys. Hermione's eyes rested on a booth that had framed portraits stacked and filed, the darkness of the tent making it seem like it went on forever, like it was larger than what her eyes could take in from the outside. She stepped toward it, but was held back by Alastor.

"Best to let us take care of that." He said, one eye trained on her while the other rolled to the direction of the tent, Molly doing her best to look uninterested in another booth that held fancy robes and clothing, her fingers rubbing at the ones she wore in disdain.

"Go on now, get some exercise and fresh air. Enjoy yourselves, we'll meet back here in half an hour."

It didn't take much prodding for Severus to grab Hermione's hand and continue forward with Molly yelling a shrill "half an hour sharp!" Behind them. They walked silently, slowing down when they passed a tent that held wand protectors and holders made from leather and intricately pressed with designs of dragons and faeries as the visual guardsmen, all of them appearing bored and even lifeless as the sheaths hung around the booth remained untouched. Severus had become enchanted with one that held a forest scene, when he touched it, it sprang to life with bunnies hopping past the bottom, an owl dodging in and out of view between the trees and a deer slowly and gracefully making its way to feed on the underbrush.

"Severus." Hermione whispered softly, lifting her head high enough that the hood didn't obstruct her eyes from his. She had gripped his hand tighter and wanted to apologize, but he turned before she could and pulled her away from the tent. She could feel the sorrow though his hood hid his face from her, knowing that the deer had reminded him of Lily, as she had felt it too. She had yet to voice her sympathy to him, knowing that he had loved and cared for Lily more than he had anything in the world, but any time she had tried bringing it up had thought that maybe the heartbreak was still too fresh and would sour a day that had been better than the one before it. All she could do was hold his hand and hope he had been reading her mind, or at least her feelings through legillmens. A tent full of dog-eared books had quickly captured their attention and Hermione was forced to stop thinking her mantra of 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Severus, I'm so sorry,' just to pick up a whethered and worn copy of a book 'Charles Dickens,' with gold embossed letters in the middle of the cover. She flipped through the pages, taking in the dusty scent and thin pages, watching Severus' feet and they moved away from her in a slow and careful gait.

When she flipped to the last page, she snapped the cover closed and placed the book back in its spot, her fingers running over the spines as she moseyed to the end of the row. Books turned into magazines and she gazed upon faces she had not been familiar with since she arrived in that time. They looked like tabloids, headlines of 'you won't believe what so-and-so did,' and 'behind the death of' all accompanied with pictures of witches and wizards shielding their faces or appearing too bothered to even do as much as they rush past the cameras. 'Interview with Loch Ness' had drawn her in out of sheer curiosity and she lifted that magazine from its rack, but as she did, she revealed a different one behind it and it caused her to freeze.

There on the cover, her own face stared back at her, one that only blinked ever couple of seconds otherwise devoid of any emotion. A scroll rolled along the bottom with handwritten text: Wanted: Hermione Granger, Muggleborn, Escapee, Attempted Murderer, Evading Dark Wizards...

She had picked up the paper, not bothering to read the rest of her charges nor to see the picture change to that of Severus and similar convictions. She had turned, searching the tent, the sudden grip of vulnerability sinking in as she noticed she was alone. Severus was no where to be seen, the guilt of letting his hand go eating at her as she dipped her head lower so her hood covered her face completely.

She watched the ground, her feet as she quickened her step, keeping other shoes out of her sight and allowed the bookcases to guide her down the aisle and up another. When she'd round a corner, she'd lift her chin just enough to scan for his robes and then snap it back down to her neck. Her fingers tightened around the paper she still carried. It appeared, the more she searched, that Severus hadn't been in the tent at all, knowing very well that if he had caught a sense of how fast her heart had started beating, he would have appeared. Yet, her heart beat faster, her stomach sank lower, and she stepped to the doorway.

Looking left, the strip continued and witches and wizards dodged in and out of other tents. Looking right, the same thing, but there was no sign of Severus. She dipped her head again, letting out a huge sigh and tilted the paper in her hands just enough to see Abe's face fade away and Phil's face appear soon after. She glanced up again, this time finally seeing the robes that Severus wore exiting out of the tent across from her, a bag swung from his arm.

"You won't believe the ingredients they have in there." He said as the gap between them closed. "It's like they cater to the rare—"

"—Did they see you?" Hermione asked. "Did they see your face?"

"I—I'm not sure." Severus raised an eyebrow, his lips pulled down at the edges. "Maybe, at least the lower half of my face."

"Oh god." Hermione sighed.

"I had to make conversation to get my purchase, Hermione."

She winced when he said her name, glancing around to see if anyone had been standing near.

"I couldn't just hide my face fully." Severus continued and then furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?"

Hermione lifted the paper, still scanning the area for any sign of notice, any tell-tell action to show they had been seen or surrounded. Severus took the paper from her hands, his face drawing into a long scowl as the mugshots of them cycled through.

"We need to find Molly." Hermione said. "If she had known our faces were going to be plastered everywhere, she'd never had let us out of that house."

"Any idea where they'd be?"

Hermione took another long sweeping look around the streets and bit her lip in frustration. There were too many places, looking in each one would cause unwanted attention, too many shop owners or passerby's could see their faces or inquire as to what they were searching for. It was then a high pitched wailing had softly begun to spread through the air, growing louder with every second that passed, almost as if someone had been turning the handle to a music box. Shoppers around them froze, their ears turning to the sky, unable to point where the noise was coming from as it seemed to come from everywhere at once, and then recognized the siren. A mother with six small children just a tent over had spread her arms wide and ushered her children inside of the tent they were next to. Hermione, however, had to lift only one arm and grab a hold of Severus. He covered her hand with his and they stepped out into the street, quickly leading her through the shoppers that were still undecided on where to go.

"Hey!" A voice called from behind them. "You have to pay for that!"

Hermione and Severus looked behind them and saw a spindly old man wearing bottle cap glasses that magnified his eyes three times shouting at them, his angry face turning into astonishment as he got a good look at them, and then double stepped into the middle of the street to follow them. He began to spin around, searching for something, and when he found it, frantically jumped, one arm waving, the other holding his glasses to his face.

"They're here! They're right there!" He screamed. Hermione couldn't watch any longer for Severus had yanked Hermione into a run, those around them now staring at them and shrieking as they passed, some reaching for them, others attempting to block their way and forcing Severus to shove and push through. The sirens still blazed louder, an energy filling the air that caused the hair on Hermione's arms to stand on end.

Molly and Alastor were no where to be seen, they didn't appear as she wished they would to help them to safety, and she only hoped that they weren't trapped in the tents they passed that were now snapping the flaps closed, harboring the innocent inside. The streets began to empty in this way, people running for cover instead of trying to hold them back, giving up on the chance to cash in a reward for capture. Those that did remain outside slowly became transfixed on something, hypnotized in their spots, mouths gaping open, but Hermione refused to look back, to see what they were looking at. She wanted to get to safety, hoping that Molly and Alastor had made it to the spot they were to leave at, it seemed the only smart way to go and the right thing to do.

They probably would have made it if Severus hadn't of fell into a dead stop, his hand loosening on hers and dropping to his side altogether. She shook him, unable to get him to look at her, he was staring just as the others were from the direction they came, a small smile creeping awkwardly on his face, a look she had seen before on Ronald when the Delacour's would visit or they'd attend a crowded event where other Veela's had been.

"No." She whispered, refusing the urge to look back herself and see what was undoubtedly heading their way. "No, no, no, not now, Severus, please snap out of it." She shook him again, placing her hand against his cheek. He swung his head to her side as if to tell her he was listening, but his eyes never broke his gaze. She had to look.

Far enough away to not be caught, but close enough to make them out, Hermione saw three women dancing their way down the street, their hips swaying to the sounds of the voices that echoed around them; the cause of the siren. What was just a mishmash of horrible notes faded into clarity of a melody the closer they got, a tactic to gain attention no doubt, but Hermione wasn't weak enough to fall for it. She still had her wits about her and needed to find a place to hide before they'd be seen, before those beautiful women could turn into something deadly.

"Severus." Hermione whispered, tugging at him to move, but he did the opposite, taking two slow steps in the directions of the Veela's and paying no attention to Hermione.

"Severus please listen to me." She begged. "We need to get out of here." She pulled on him again. "Severus!" Feeling the time running out she made the daring move of standing on her toes, placing her face in front of his, and kissed him.

He softened, his urge to make his way to the women lessened, though she could tell it still called to him. This she could work with though, at least his feet moved backward when she pressed forward, keeping their lips locked. Her hands lifted from his cheeks and over his ears, continually walking him backwards until they were up against a wall. She felt him give when they couldn't move any further and pulled back to see his dark eyes staring at her.

"We need to hide." She said, taking him by the hand. They were a few steps from a recessed alcove building entry that had a one foot piece of wall that jutted from the sides, providing a dry spot for bad weather and hot sun. Given the proximity of the Veela, it was their safest bet to avoid detection if they could make it around the corner and stay quiet, stay hidden. Severus had seemed to read her mind as he pulled her into it, this time forcefully pushing her against the darkened shadows and met her lips with his again. She pulled him tightly to her not knowing if the one foot allowance would keep them out of sight, hoping that the cloaks they were were dark enough, and also hoping that the moan that so wanted to escape her throat would stay deep within her chest as Severus pressed harder into her.

He was concentrating, pushing all he could into Hermione and she happily let him, the magic of the Veela having no control of him now, or if it did, maybe strengthening his want to not be under their spell, choosing Hermione instead, as the subject for which his pleasures be released. He had moved away from her lips, now nibbling her neck, nipping at it as the siren song seemed to be just outside of their space. Hermione bit her lip hard to keep her own cry of half pain, half pleasure in. She could see the Veela dancing still, in the middle of the street, advancing on those who were mystified by their presence, studying their faces to the umpteenth degree until they were satisfied with their identity before moving on to the next.

Severus gripped Hermione by the hips and he hoisted her up, his arms encircling her, holding her tightly, squeezing her almost to the point it hurt but she allowed it, wrapping her legs around him, stubborn to keep him there with her, and forced him to kiss her bleeding lips again just so she knew his eyes wouldn't wander behind them as that's where the Veela were now, in plain sight of them, making their way down the street to the opposite end.

They had not been seen and those dazed by the presence of such creatures did not give them away as they were too preoccupied to even see them. Hermione closed her eyes when she lost sight of the Veela and as Severus began to trail down the other side of her neck, taking a second to just enjoy that moment, not knowing how long it would last or if she would ever feel it again. They were public now, everyone within reach of a daily paper would have seen their pictures, everyone too scared to go against Voldemort would crumble and turn them in. Her hope of a safe haven fading as quickly as the Veela's song faded away.

When all was quiet and the Veela's gone, Hermione forced Severus to look at her. He appeared worried, dare say a little embarrassed and dug his forehead into the crook where her neck met her shoulder. She lowered her legs, he loosened his grip, and though she was sad to do so, moved herself from under him and peeked around the corner.

"We should go now, while there's no one out there." She said and led the way to the port key.


End file.
